A supplement to the Daily Record

21.'$7+.&+0)5

³6JG.CTIGUV/QUV'ZRGTKGPEGF2QNG
)CTCIGU5JQRU $WKNFKPI%QPVTCEVQTKPVJG0QTVJYGUV´

$CTPU

%QOOGTEKCN


%CNN#P[VKOG*QWTU#&C[&C[U#9GGM 883945.ALM.08.cnr

“0” Down 100% Financing OAC Finance Officer on Duty Now! Most Approvals within 24 Hours
 K ittitas V alley
H ealtH & R eHabilitation

3,000 Square Feet Therapy Gym Occupational Therapy Kitchen

Short Term Rehabilitation Experts

Long Term Care Professionals
ExpErt NursiNg & thErapy sErvicEs
• Daily PT, OT and Speech Therapy - Monday through Friday
• Hip Surgery & Other Orthopedic Surgery Recovery
• CVA, TIA and Brain Injuries Treatment
• All IV Therapies including TPN for In-Patients
• Convenient Bathrooms in all Resident Rooms
24/7 Admissions
1050 East Mountain View Avenue • Ellensburg
509-925-4171 881985.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 Table of Contents
04 Economic development
2008 Almanac — Made in Kittitas County at the crossroads
Publisher
Matt Davison
Writers
Chance Edman, Michael
10 City, county invest at airport
Gallagher, Don Gronning, Mike
Editor Johnston, Mary Swift, Jeff Wilson 14 A field of opportunity
Jeff Robinson and Fritz Glover

Printed and published by

20 High-tech manufacturing
Design Editor
Patrick Moore The Daily Record in our future?
401 N. Main Street,
Photos Ellensburg WA 98926 24 Business recruitment success
Joe Whiteside, Don Gronning, (509) 925-1414
Mike Johnston, Amanda
Umberger, Chance Edman 29 Alto’s cuts out a market niche
34 CWT puts roofs over our heads
Video
See exclusive video from 36 No longer playing games
local manufacturers online
at www.dailyrecordnews.com 38 Third generation guides
Cle Elum’s Shoemaker
0 0 8

C
D ’S 2 Manufacturing

A
R E C O R

N
A I LY 40 A ready-to-build

A
TH E D

LM
industrial park

A
44 Local waterski makers
outfit world’s best

CO U N T Y
I T T I TA S 49 Pautzke Bait: Proven performance

I N> K 52 Custom saddles stand

M A D E test of time
57 Great wine from great grapes
63 Small brewery keeps up
with big demands

2 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Made in Kittitas County
A
ccording to 2004 spread-
sheet detailing Kittitas
County manufacturing
companies provided by the
Economic Development
Group of Kittitas County,
there were 193 manufacturing
businesses located here.
No new survey was available
when we approached this
year’s Almanac topic — Made
in Kittitas County — but many
changes have happened on
the local economic landscape
in the past four years. Some
businesses on the 2004 list are
no longer in business. Some
new businesses have come here
recently and several others have
expanded their operations.
The past 18 months have seen
an increasing hue and cry for
more, better paying jobs in the
categories of light industrial,
high tech and manufacturing in
Kittitas County.
In this publication we will
attempt to examine what the
county’s assets are for attracting
more industry. Our central
location, a sound transporta-
tion infrastructure, relatively
less expensive land when
compared to the West Side, and
a highly educated workforce
easily come to mind. We’ll also
try to identify some of our
area’s key challenges such as
a lack of ready-to-go, properly
zoned buildings and sites
and a lack of a concentrated,
focused effort at recruiting new
manufacturers.
Additionally we will profile
some of the county’s manufac-
turing success stories — some
of which you probably knew
about, and a few you probably
didn’t.
We here at the Daily Record
feel a sense a kinship with our
local manufacturers. After all,
we proudly count ourselves
among them. Six days a
week (excluding a handful of
holidays) 52 weeks a year the
paper manufactures about
6,000 products that go into this
market — the daily newspaper,
which brought this Almanac
into your home or business.
That’s nearly 2 million
manufactured products but
that total doesn’t include the
many special publications
we produce including this
Almanac, the monthly real
estate guide, the quarterly Four
Seasons and Home & Style
magazines, the annual Past
& Present commemorative
edition for the rodeo and fair
and the many commercial
printing jobs we do.
We’re proud of what we do
and we’re even more proud to
have been doing this success-
fully for nearly 100 years.
We look forward to
documenting the many
changes to come on the local
economic scene for another 100
years and beyond.
Enjoy.

The best seat

in the house is
For 112 years, the best seat in the

next to the house has started at Fitterer’s

Furniture in Ellensburg.
Generations of families have
ones you love! trusted Fitterer’s to provide the
selection they need, the quality
they want and the service they
deserve. Furniture is an important
investment in your home and
family.
FITTERER’S IS THE FURNITURE STORE
4th & Main, Ellensburg WA • 509-925-9828 or 800-992-9828 YOU CAN TRUST.
www.fitterersfurniture.com
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 Economic development at the crossroads
Communities
explore future paths
to manufacturing,
high-tech jobs
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer

E
llensburg Chamber of
Commerce Executive
Director Ron Cridle-
baugh tells it this way:
In the last six to eight
months, two out-of-area
businesses looked closely at
Ellensburg and the Kittitas
Valley as a relocation site.
A total of about 20 jobs
would result if they could
quickly move into structures,
with one business needing an
approximate 5,000-square-
foot, modern building as a
backup data storage center.
“They actually contacted us
and said they liked the size
of our community, they liked
what the area had to offer
and one liked the hotel-motel
capacity we had because of
the 150 employees it would
bring here for two weeks of
training and testing twice a
year,” Cridlebaugh said. “A lot
of the pieces were in place to
make it happen.”
Quick job facts
Average number of jobs in Kittitas County in 2007 for:
n Manufacturing — 710
n State government — 3,200
n State educational services — 2,840
n Federal government — 160
n Local government — 2,070
n Leisure and hospitality — 2,240
Composites Atlantic Limited Business Development Engineer Jeremiah Barney stands outside the firm’s assembly
site at the Ellensburg Business Incubator Building. The firm, based in Canada, has off-site component assembling and
manufacturing locations in the United States and Canada that serve jet airliner manufacturers.
Yet, there were no buildings he said, to make sure the representatives, real estate
immediately available at the community is ready in the and development firms and
time that fit their require- near future to accommodate individual businesses have
ments, he said. new industrial businesses. put much higher on their
“It wasn’t a ton of jobs, but Cridlebaugh said in the past agendas the need to retain
it actually meant new jobs two months various economic and grow local businesses and
coming to our community. development groups in recruit new ones to the area,
We just weren’t ready,” Cridle- the county, chambers of including manufacturing and
baugh said. “Perhaps if a commerce, city and county light industrial firms.
building had been up ... “ government officials, Central “Everyone seems to be
The momentum is growing, Washington University wanting to see positive things
happen,” Cridlebaugh said.
“They don’t want to miss any
more opportunities.”
Some local developers have
moved ahead on their own,
establishing a business parks
n Construction, natural resources, mining —1,370
for industrial customers.
n Retail trade — 1,710 The Ellensburg Business
n Local government educational services — 840 Development Authority and
n Transportation, warehousing, utilities —310
the Economic Development
Group of Kittitas County are
n Wholesale trade — 530 seeking to build a second
— Source: Don Meseck, regional labor econo- multi-use building in Kittitas
mist, state Employment Security Department. County’s Airport Industrial
Park for leased business space.

 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 Economic development at the crossroads
The county has signed up new firms
wanting leased land for operations in its
industrial park.
In addition, the Economic Development
Group of Kittitas County is re-evalu-
ating how it operates as it seeks a new
director, and the Ellensburg City Council
is discussing the city’s role in increasing
industrial land availability and how to
streamline the processing of building
permits for new industrial ventures.
A countywide economic development
summit is being planned for late April or
early May that will bring together all major

Dustin Smart, an employee of Composites Atlantic

Limited, assembles harnesses and wiring to a
cargo hold light fixture at the Ellensburg Business
Incubator Building. The firm has operated the
off-site component assembly site in Ellensburg
since March 2003. Composites Atlantic has plans
to enlarge its Ellensburg work in the near future.
The Ellensburg site has five employees, including
Central Washington University students.

Quality
Building
Open
Supplies 7 Days
At A
Competitive
Prices Week
Knudson Lumber has the LARGEST SELECTION of timbers in Central Washington

Serving All of Kittitas County With…

Lumber • Doors • Windows • Paint & Stain • Garden Supplies • Decking Material • Electrical Supplies • Power & Hand Tools
Metal Roofing • Installation • Concrete Products • Garden Blocks & Pavers • Plumbing Supplies • Railroad Ties • Lattice • Sheetrock • Molding

All Lumber Under Cover DELIVERY AVAILABLE

962-9811 or 866-279-0756
1791 Vantage Highway, Ellensburg • www.knudsonlumber.com
877813 KRH SS

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 


business development players
to possibly chart a new, proac-
tive course, Cridlebaugh said.
“Right now, we’re on the
cusp of really making things
happen,” Cridlebaugh said.
“Maybe our efforts in the past
have been somewhat piece-
meal. Now people want to
come together and find ways
for all the groups to move
forward in a cohesive way that
really produces results.”
From top down
To move forward in a unified
way will take change, and
local businessman William
Meyer believes it must start
with the actions of those
in community leadership
positions — namely the
Ellensburg City Council,
Kittitas County commis-
sioners and officials at Central
Washington University.
“Our economic diversity
will improve if people in
positions of power establish
policies and programs that
create visible change,” said
Meyer, an optometrist in the
Kittitas Valley since 1976, in a
prepared statement.
He said local government
leaders must make as a
consistent policy through all
government operations the
priority of supporting and
retaining private businesses
and welcoming new ones.
This must come from “the
top down,” he said, and
permeate how local govern-
ment operates.
“If our local government
people are not saying loud
and clear we are interested
in attracting new businesses,
why should existing
businesses invest in that same
effort?” Meyer said.
Meyer has served on the
Ellensburg Downtown Task
Force and been a member of
the Ellensburg Chamber of
Commerce Board and tourism
committee, the Ellensburg
Business Development
 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Economic development at the crossroads
Larry Brester, director of engineering for Hobart Machined Products Inc., stands in front of the company’s portion of
the Ellensburg Business Development Authority building it leases at the Kittitas County Airport Industrial Park. The firm,
based at Hobart, Wash., expanded to the Ellensburg site in October 2002, and is making plans for business expansions.
The firm makes aerospace components for rockets that launch satellites. It has seven employees in Ellensburg.
Authority Board, the Economic the community’s economic about the use of city surplus
Development Group of Kittitas development goals. lands in west Ellensburg for
County Board and is a founding “It’s time for the govern- industrial sites has prompted
director of Kittitas Valley Bank. mental entities to not only talk the city council’s re-examina-
Meyer said the top the talk but, most importantly, tion of its role, she said.
employers in the county are walk the walk,” Meyer said. The focus, Lillquist said,
local and state government, is on the city’s potential
including CWU, and this can Come together industrial lands, its part in
lead to government becoming Ellensburg City Council- supporting partnerships
“economically content” woman and Mayor Nancy with economic develop-
with less drive for economic Lillquist said the council in ment groups and the need to
development. February and March has streamline the city’s develop-
The renewal of economic conducted public meetings ment and permit processes
growth efforts must begin with representatives of the for new business sites.
with heavy, local government major economic development “The question is how can we
involvement and leadership, groups in the Kittitas Valley refine on the city’s process to
and then local businesses will to help spark more coopera- make business investments in
notice the change and lend tion in business recruitment, Ellensburg more attractive?”
more support, Meyer said. including manufacturing, light she said.
If and when the local industry and high-tech firms. The city, since 1989,
economic summit takes place “We are trying to support has operated its business
as reported, Meyer said he’d that effort and define what incubator program through
like to see as a result political the city can contribute to that the Ellensburg Business
leadership recognizing the effort,” Lillquist said. Development Authority, or
value of economic planning The controversial debate EDBA, which also has led
and development, plans for about major, big-box retail the way to construct a multi-
one or two industrial parks, stores in the city, the recent purpose business building at
an effective, properly staffed resignation of the executive the county airport.
and funded economic devel- director of the Economic The incubator allows new or
opment entity, and a plan Development Group of expanding businesses to grow
to periodically re-examine Kittitas County and questions and develop in the incubator
building to the point where
they can add employees and
establish their own business
locations in the community.
Lillquist said the council
is looking at the role of the
EBDA and how the city can
strengthen its activities
in cooperation with other
business recruitment and
promotion groups.
She said the council is
interested in what the city
can do to lessen the time
involved for a new industrial
or manufacturing business
to gain required permits for
a business site.
Also being explored is
having pre-approved sites
ready for nearly immediate
construction with major
infrastructure improve-
ments already in place.
“A lot of business folks
don’t want to wait and face
the uncertainty of going
through a process that seems
to them like an unnecessary
delay,” Lillquist said.
Task force needed
Kittitas County Commis-
sion Chairman Mark
McClain said despite a
somewhat fragmented
approach in the past to
economic development
throughout the community,
many in recent months
have become “excited again”
about the potential to bring
new businesses to the
county along with jobs that
can support families through
a more united effort.
“It’s great to see all the
economic development
groups come together,
but just having the groups
together is just the begin-
ning,” McClain said.
“Something new has to
happen.”
The new thing he
proposes is a task force
that has the expertise and
experience to give a wide
range of immediate help to a
business wanting to relocate
in the county. Instead of
having to go to several
agencies or groups for help,
McClain wants to see that
assistance rolled into one.
“And it can’t be about more
government involvement,” he
said. “Getting more govern- Have you discovered the Big Apple?
ment involved means more
bureaucracy and, usually,
We’re on Canyon Rd at Exit 109, Ellensburg
more costs and more time
and more delays and frustra- Not only do we have the freshest local Seasonal Fruit…
tions for business,” McClain we also have:
said. “Business people don’t Souvenirs • Candles • Burts Bees • Birdhouses
want to be involved with
more government.” T-Shirts • Knives • Gifts • Jewelry • Cookbooks
He envisions the task force Specialty Foods • Windchimes • WSU/UW Merchandise
as having direct links with and much more!
local government officials to
quicken the permit process. Come By For An Espresso and an Ice Cream Cone!
The task force also would
know how to address poten- “Family owned & operated since 1974”
tial pitfalls ahead of time to
make a business move to the Big Apple Country & Gifts
county easier. 1711 South Canyon Rd., Ellensburg • 925-2900
“The whole attitude, the
whole philosophy can’t
be ‘here are the rules you
have to meet,’ but it must
be ‘this is how you can do
Grebb, Johnson, Reed & Wachsmith, L.L.P.
it,’” McClain said. “We have CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
to turn up the volume on
having a ‘can-do’ attitude
throughout all local
governments and in our
communities.” Estate & Business Planning
He said he’s supportive of
the concept of developing Income Tax Planning & Preparation
Eureka Park (see information
elsewhere in this publica-
Accounting & Payroll Services
tion) on county airport
property as a research,
business and industrial park,
as envisioned by Fritz Glover. J e r r y W. G r e b b , C PA
Central Washington Univer- F. Te r r y R e e d , C PA
sity’s partnership in the park
is crucial, McClain said. R i c h a r d A . W a c h s m i t h , C PA
He also would like to C . J o s e p h H u b b a r d , C PA
explore the possibility of
attracting the Yakima-based M a r i e L . R i e g e l , C PA
Perry Technical Institute to F e l i c i a M . P e r s s o n , C PA
have a satellite campus on
airport property, possibly for J a c q u e l i n e M . O ’ C o n n o r, C PA
aircraft maintenance classes.
These could complement
Central’s flight technology
program at the airport, he
said. 209 E. 5th Avenue • Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 925-9876 w w w. G J R W. c o m
879810.ALM.08.cnr
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 509.925.5577 808 South Main Street 800.448.5958
Art If Ellensburg SuSAn
StoltmAn ferrell
is your home,
509-899-1860 call us... 509-933-4663
It’s our
arts@elltel.net susanf@ellensburg.com
ArtStoltman.com SusanFerrell.com

home, too.
Jennifer Cindi
o’leAry SAmuelSon
We are
509-899-0111 509-925-3303
jennifero@windermere.com
Jen.mywindermere.com
vested in this cindi@elltel.net
CindiSamuelson.com

community
rod
GooSmAn
and know rory
SAvAGe
it like Owner/Broker

509-859-3045
rgoosman@windermere.com
no one else. 509-856-6166
rory@windermere.com
Rory.mywindermere.com

www.EllensburgProperty.com
8 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
 exceptional community healthcare 24/7

Critical Care
Urgent Care
Endoscopy
Imaging Services 603 S. Chestnut Street • Ellensburg, WA 98926
Laboratory Services 509-962-9841 • www.kvch.com
Respiratory Care Services
Physical Rehabilitation
Nutritional Services
Family Birthing Center
Home Health & Hospice
24 Hour Emergency Care
State-of-the-art Surgical Services

Cle Elum Medical Center

201 Alpha Way, Cle Elum, WA 98922

CLINIC: 509-674-5331 • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

URgENt CARE: 509-674-6944

Monday - Friday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Cle Elum Medical Center is a service of

Kittitas Valley Community Hospital
879090.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 City, county invest at airport
Manufacturers
are welcome
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer

D
on’t tell Kittitas County
Commissioner David
Bowen that county
government and the city
of Ellensburg haven’t done
much to attract new or
existing businesses to the
county, including potential
manufacturers.
Bowen said the city and
county, since 1998, have
made more than $9.5 million Kittitas County is exploring adding new, private aircraft hangars for lease at the county’s Bowers Field airport, like the
in infrastructure improve- one above, and looking to the possibility of an airport condominium development where hangars are next to condos
ments to welcome and attract for residents’ use.
businesses to the 1,300-acre
county airport north of our main economic devel- to and from Interstate 90 350 acres of airport property
Ellensburg. opment project; it’s county without going through Ellens- that’s available for non-
The funds came from city government’s focus for new burg or side roads, he said. aeronautic and non-grazing
and county revenues and businesses and helping Plans are in the works by activities, namely leases of
state and federal grants and existing ones,” Bowen said in the county for an eastward land for businesses.
matching funds. The work a recent interview. “That and Bowers Road extension to The 350 acres, which
involved new water and sewer the (fairgrounds).” Look Road to create a truck includes existing business
piping and new roadways, The new Bowers Road route that steers heavy leases, is what Bowen and
including up-to-date connec- connection from the airport trucks away from downtown county Airport Manager Kelly
tions for fiber-optics, natural west to Reecer Creek Road Ellensburg. Carlson call the Airport Indus-
gas, telephone, electrical was completed in 2006 In December 2007, all land- trial Park.
power and the Internet. and creates a more direct use requirements were met to The binding site plans allow
“The airport property is commercial truck-traffic route create binding site plans for businesses to easily lease

Give Us A Call!
ellular
Broadband Access • Data • Cellular
“HigH Speed internet AnywHere, Anytime”
”
NOW IN ELLENSBURG!
708 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA • In the Plaza • 509-925-5511

*Our Surcharges (incl. Fed. Univ. Svc. of 11% of interstate & int’l telecom charges (varies quarterly), 7¢ Regulatory & 70¢ Administrative/line/mo., & others by area) are not taxes (details: 1-888-684-1888); gov’t taxes & our surcharges could add 4% - 34% [or insert % range for Area] to your bill. Activation fee/line: $35 ($25 for secondary Family SharePlan lines w/ 2 yr Agmts)
IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agmt, Calling Plan, [rebate form] & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee, [up to] __¢/min after allowance & $1.99/MB (incl. Mobile Web ads). Offers & coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere. Network details & coverage maps at vzw.com. Nights 9:01 pm – 5:59 am M-F. [Offer expires [insert date] or Limited time offer, if applicable.][Rebate takes up to 6
wks.]. © 2007 Verizon Wireless 879811.ALM.08.cnr

10 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 11
 City, county invest at airport
lots at a variety of sizes and
construct their own buildings
within a reasonable period of
time, with hookups for services
and infrastructure ready.
There are 10 existing
business and state-agency
leases at the park that take
up about 30 acres at this
time. They annually bring in
$160,000 in lease payments to
the county.
Some of the existing lease-
holders at the airport include
the state Department of
Natural Resources, Midstate
Aviation, Central Washington
University’s flight technology
program, Kittcom, Cascade
Pallet, Elmview services,
Miller Refrigeration, the
Ellensburg Business Develop-
ment Authority and others.
“Right now there is quite a
bit of long-term potential for
leased land at the airport to
create jobs and tax revenue,”
Bowen said. “I envision an
expanding mix of light indus-
trial activity and heavier indus-
trial businesses coming in.” The Ellensburg Business Development Authority, in cooperation with the Economic Development Group of Kittitas
County, is planning to gain funding and construct a second multi-purpose building, like the first one above, for leased
Good location space at Kittitas County’s Airport Industrial Park.
Bowen said he also believes
high-tech firms, distribution
centers, warehouses and Carlson said building costs
regional business offices will at the airport are much less
be attracted to the location expensive than in Puget
in light of its easy access to Sound, and the quality of the
major cross-state highways local work force is good.
and ready-to-build upon lots On the airport side of
Bowen said his hope is business, there are 12 private
that an office complex for a airplane hangar leases and
regional or national business two, large leased hangars
may be attracted to relocate at for the airport’s fixed-base
the airport and bring family- operator, Midstate Aviation.
wage jobs with them. Plans are in the works for
“They’re running out of the county to build eight
space in Puget Sound and additional private-plane
lease costs are high over hangars for lease.
there,” Bowen said. “We have
a great quality of life here Airport condos?
that’s a big, positive factor in Carlson said the Airport
our favor. We’re also at the Advisory Committee has been
center of the state with easy discussing the possibility of
access to I-90, I-82 and (U.S.) promoting the development Midstate Aviation is one of the largest of the entities leasing facilities from Kit-
Highway 97 for any business of airport condominiums with titas County at Bowers Field near the Airport Industrial Park. It also is the fixed-
dependent on transportation hangars next to each unit for base operator of the Bowers Field airport.
and distribution.” easy use by condo residents.

12 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

This fly-in community
would be attractive to
retirees with private planes
and incomes that support
the planes.
In addition, she said the
Ellensburg Business Devel-
opment Authority and the
Economic Development
Group of Kittitas County
are planning to construct a
second multi-purpose indus-
trial building with which to
attract new businesses. The
existing building has three
business tenants.
Carlson said the avail-
ability of leased land at
the airport hasn’t been
aggressively marketed in the
past, and that is expected
to change this year with
help from the Economic
Development Group, the
Ellensburg Business Devel-
opment Authority and the
Ellensburg Chamber of
Commerce.
She said the groups will
assist the county in getting
the word out to prospective
businesses on the avail-
ability of leased land and
the pluses of locating in
the the Kittitas Valley. That
“word” will include Web site
information, pamphlets
and working with the state
Department of Community,
Trade & Economic Develop-
ment to be on lists used by
developers when looking for
new industrial or manufac-
turing sites.
“This is the year to get our
message out any way we
can,” Carlson said. “We want
people to realize what a real
gem we have at the airport,”
she said.

The KiTTiTas
CounTy Fair
LABOR DAY WEEKEND!
“Our Customers Aug. 28th - Sept. 1st
Come First” Art, Exhibits, Photography,
Live Entertainment…
Exploring our 20,000 feet of exhibition space
Your Local Non Profit Customer can take days. Whether it’s livestock or digital
Oriented Electric Utility Serving photography you’ll find it at the fair!
Give into the many temptations of our
Kittitas County. expansive food court or try the thrill of our
carnival with something for toddlers to veteran
thrill seekers.

24 Hour Answering Service

1400 Vantage Highway
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Ellensburg Area • 509-933-7200 Kittitas County Fair

512 N. Poplar, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Cle Elum Area • 509-674-2790 (509) 962-7639 • 1-800-426-5340
www.kittitascountyfair.com
883138.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 13

 A field of opportunity
A vision for
economic
development at
county airport

Fritz
Glover
Contributing
writer

B
ackground: Kittitas
County is poised for both
economic and popula-
tion expansion. Currently, both
job creation and job growth
are lagging. If this imbalance
continues, there will be a reduc-
tion in business tax revenue
that will adversely affect the
delivery of government services
to the community.
More importantly, the
citizens and public officials
of our county are clamoring
for well paying employment
opportunities. The resources
to create employment and
sustainable job growth are
present and available, but
we seem unable to focus our
positive collective energy on a
common endeavor. We need
to dream together.
Vision: By assembling
experienced people and
powerful partners, a dynamic
collaborative research and
business enterprise can
operate in the Kittitas Valley
on a large, well-located
parcel of county-owned
property. The venture can
Fritz Glover stands near the west Bower’s Field entrance sign with the undeveloped Airport Industrial Park in the
background, the location where Glover envisions Eureka Park.
include mutually beneficial
participation by private
business, local government
entities, and representatives
from higher education. It is
anticipated that participants
in this research, development
and business park will have a
strong commitment to collab-
oration, which will provide
each with financial benefit, as
well as a competitive business
advantage.
Projects similar to this
vision are very successful in
other parts of the country.
Although each is different,
common elements include
private businesses working in
collaboration with a univer-
sity or other educational body
to develop mutually benefi-
cial products and business
activities.
The missing ingredients:
There are insufficient local
business development
initiatives; and we lack the
required commercial and
industrial infrastructure to
attract entrepreneurs and
businesses to relocate to
Kittitas County.
With few exceptions, there
is no lure, no source of energy
inviting and encouraging
business formation in the
county. Today, relocating
a business or establishing
a new business within the
county can be a complicated,
perplexing, and time-
consuming process.
In short, the invitation to
come to Kittitas County needs
to be extended in a more
comprehensive and coordi-
nated manner.
On the other hand, there
is no shortage of business
potential. The cost to do
business in the Puget Sound
area continues to escalate
in almost every expense
category. If Kittitas County is
to move to the next level of
comprehensive and sustain-
able community develop-
ment, it must strengthen
existing employers, attract

14 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 64
Helping
Our 64 Years of Service
Supporting COmmunities to Kittitas
grOw
LocaL
Bringing County

609 N. Main • Ellensburg, WA 98926 • (509) 925-2002

economic
vitality By :
Opened February 4, 1944 At 407 N. Pearl
• Creating a strong (Originally Woods Auto Supply)
local economy
• promoting the
community Helpful,
BuSineSSeS
for • providing net- Friendly,
Hometown
work opportunities Robert G. Woods,
Founder • 1944
• representing the
interest of business
to government Service 2008

Electric & Hand Tools • Household Goods • Paint & Paint Supplies • Small Appliances
• political action Complete Plumbing Department, Parts & Service • Lawn & Garden Supplies

100
Outdoor Power Equipment • Electrical • Nuts, & Bolts, Screws, Nails

Located convenientLy in downtown eLLensburg

yearS
WOODS
HARDWARE & PLUMBING
www.ellensburg-chamber.com 885884.ALM.08.cnr 310 north PearL • eLLensburg • 509-925-2961 LIC #WOODSAH176D3

A lot of real estate companies seem to think

there’s only one way to sell a home. At RE/MAX®
It’s called SellerS ChoiCe™
home Marketing Plans.
R
Community Realty, we’re proud to give you
choices. In fact, we now offer our seller’s three
intelligent home marketing plans to choose from And it’s only available at
- at three comfortable new commission rates.
RE/MAX® Community Realty.

Mel Caskey Tori Calkins Laurie Lind Bob Hansen Annie Conrad Roger Weaver Wayne Stroscher Claudia Weaver
Realtor® Realtor® Assistant Realtor®, ABR Associate Broker, CCIM, CRB Realtor® Assistant Broker/Owner Associate Broker,ABR/CPM Office Administrator
509-929-3227 Property Management 509-933-7324 509-933-7306 509-933-7306 509-933-7303 509-933-7308 509-933-7300
mcaskey@fairpoint.net 509-933-7314 lauriel@bossig.com hansenb@elltel.net remax@elltel.net rweaver@elltel.net wayne@elltel.net remax@elltel.net

Your RE/MAX
CoMMunitY REAltY
Agents...Working
Brice Johnson Rebecca Lee-Standish Craig M. Smith Tracey Haddon Brad Haddon Patsy A. Ptaszynski Marlene Pfiefer Shiela Ford
Hard for You! Realtor®
509-899-3264
brice@kvalley.com
Realtor®
253-961-6637
rebeccadlee@hotmail.com
Associate Broker
509-899-SOLD (7653)
crgsmithremax@yahoo.com
Associate Broker, GRI
509-929-3035
tryhaddon@yahoo.com
Assiciate Broker, Loan Officer, GRI, ABR
509-899-1899
bradhaddon@yahoo.com
Realtor®, ABR, GRI
509-929-3870
ptaz@elltel.net
Realtor®
509-899-0702
marlene @elltel.net
Realtor®
509-929-6222
sford@elltel.net

Community Realty 700 East Mt. View Ave, Suite 504 • Ellensburg, WA 98926
883960.ALM.08.cnr

509.933.7300 • www.remax.com
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

new employers and provide
the infrastructure necessary
for both.
A strategic vision and an
energetic commitment to
position Kittitas County as the
research and business devel-
opment engine in the heart of
Washington is required.
Eureka Park represents that
vision and commitment.
The ‘park’ vision
Eureka Park: The 325-acre
Eureka Park would be located
within the 1,200-acre Kittitas
County Airport grounds. The
setting could feature such
amenities as permanent
green space buffers, exten-
sive wooded areas, activity
trails, sidewalks, ponds and a
natural waterway.
Its master plan would
incorporate a “campus like”
environment that could differ-
entiate the park from other
real estate developments.
Building sites available for
qualified users would range in
size from 1 to 20 acres. Land
would be available for acqui-
sition by means of purchase
or long-term lease. (See the
accompanying site plan.)
Future plan: It is imperative
that the scope of the plan for
Eureka Park demonstrates
Kittitas County’s vision and
commitment to business
development. It must repre-
sent the most creative in such
planning.
The plan should act as
evidence to businesses
throughout the region that
Kittitas County is committed
to business development.
But planning and develop-
ment should include not just
current and future airport
operational requirements and
Eureka Park; it should include
a much broader range of
land uses appropriate to the
community as well.
The current airport master
16 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
A field of opportunity
plan revision should be
redirected to include elements
such as:
• Attractive and easily
maintained landscape
architecture.
• Open space preservation.
• Riparian preservation.
• Recreation areas.
• Future university activities.
• Future retail and commer-
cial development.
Plans should also include
the purchase of adjoining
privately owned lands,
especially those to the west
and north that remain largely
undeveloped at this time.
Challenges: Because of
CWU launches nonprofit research foundation
Can also assist manufacturers seeking new products
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer
Central Washington
University this year expects
to gain federal nonprofit
status for its CWU Research
Foundation, an entity that
can help spark economic
development locally and in
the region, including help
to manufacturers of new
products.
The foundation in summer
2007 received its state
nonprofit status and is
poised to attract grants and
funding in partnership with
public agencies and private
businesses for research
projects, according to Wayne
Quirk, Central’s provost and
senior vice president for
academic affairs.
“The foundation has the
Central Washington Univer-
sity’s financial and political
strength and the fact that its
employees are in decision-
making positions on the two
local economic develop-
ment boards, CWU plays an
unusually powerful role in
determining the success of any
regional economic venture.
One of the notable
achievements during the
past several years has been
the improvement of working
relationships between CWU
and the local community. We
are all benefiting. Collabora-
tion on this exciting project
would be consistent with the
ability to form partnerships
with private companies and
federal and state agencies,”
Quirk said, “and from
that undertake work that
points the way to economic
development.
“It’s ready with the
expertise and experience of
Central’s faculty when the
opportunity arises.”
CWU gained more than
$10 million in research
project dollars in the 2006-
2007 school year, and the
nonprofit foundation would
help further connect the
university to do research that
can lead to new technologies
that come up with unique
products, materials, parts,
energy systems, high-tech
devices or new manufac-
turing processes.
In turn, this research can
recent changes.
However, CWU’s involve-
ment in Eureka Park is not
required. Other institu-
tions such as Washington
Technology Center, Spokane
Intercollegiate Research and
Technology Institute, Big
Bend Community College,
Yakima Valley Community
College, and Perry Technical
Institute are already involved
in our region and are potential
partners.
Either individually or in
combination, they could
actively and directly supply
the crucial educational
elements needed for a
lead to new manufacturing
opportunities and new,
local jobs.
Formation of the founda-
tion was undertaken, Quirk
said, in consultation with
economic development
groups in Kittitas County. He
said an oversight committee
with representatives of the
groups will advise on the
foundation’s direction.
The foundation also is a
factor that can help attract
new faculty and retain
existing faculty: it allows
for the funding of creative,
innovative research.
Quirk said once federal
nonprofit status is gained,
the foundation will embark
on major projects, including
establishing the location of a
research park somewhere in
Kittitas County.

successful endeavor.
Summary: There are obsta-
cles, issues and hurdles to
overcome; yet this is true for
any innovative project with
multiple partners. All of these
challenges can be resolved.
A field of opportunity
The long-term benefits of a —Fritz Glover owns a in the United States and
venture like Eureka Park make commercial pear and apple overseas. Glover received his
it an exciting opportunity that orchard and has resided in undergraduate degree from the
requires the energy, commit- Kittitas County for almost University of Michigan and his
ment and concern that are 20 years. Prior to moving to MBA from Harvard Business
already the hallmarks of our Ellensburg, Glover worked School.
community. in corporate administration

AIRPORT BOUNDARY
HUNGRY JUNCTION ROAD
HUNGRY JUNCTION ROAD

1 AC.

16.5 AC.
N
5 AC.

11.5 AC.

EUREKA PARK POTENTIAL

CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN 3.5
RECREATION/
AC. OPEN SPACE
8 AC.
10 AC. 225 AC.

BRICK MILL

KITTITAS EUREKA ROAD

PARK
COUNTY 6.5
AC.
7
NORTH
AC.
(52 AC.)

SECURE ACCESS AVIATION OPERATIONS AREA

SECURE ACCESS

1.5 AVIATION TERMINAL

AC. 6.5 AC.
BOWERS ROAD
BOWERS ROAD UGA BOUNDARY
BOWERS B

EUREKA
CESSNA ROAD
BEECH ROAD

PIPER ROAD

PARK 8.5 AC. ELMVIEW

SOUTH ROAD

AD
27 AC.

RO
9 AC.
US

ROAD

IN

K
ES

O
LO
S LOOP FALCON ROAD
CA
AIRPORT

SC
AD
ELLENSBURG CITY LIMITS

E
CA EXISTING DEVELOPMENT 24 AC.
NA
L
AIRPORT BOUNDARY

BENDER RD.
BENDER ROAD
SANDERS ROAD

EL SA
AIRPORT ROAD

LE
NS ND
BU ER
RG SR
CITY CIT
YL
D.
IMI
OF TS

ELLENSBURG

CITY
OF
ELLENSBURG Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 The City of
Ellensburg would
like to recognize the
various departments that
service and maintain this
beautiful city. Thanks for all
501 North Anderson Street your hardwork and support.

Police Department | 100 N. Pearl Street • 962-7280

Parks & Recreation Department | 925-8638
Racquet & Recreation Center | 6061 Vantage Highway • 925-8636
Youth & Community Center | 406 E. Capitol Avenue • 925-8604
Memorial Pool & Fitness Center | 815 E. 6th Avenue • 962-7211
Animal Shelter | 1007 Industrial Way • 962-7246
Business Incubator | 1000 Prospect Street • 962-7244
Public Works | 414 N. Main Street • 962-7230
Adult Activity Center | 506 S. Pine Street • 962-7242
Hal Holmes Center | 201 N. Ruby Street • 962-7240
Public Library | 209 N. Ruby Street • 962-7250
Community Development | 962-7231
Energy Services | 962-7124

883929.ALM.08.cnr

8 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Community Comfort…
...surrounds you at Briarwood Commons.
Accidents
Our apartment homes provide the active
adult with contemporary and spacious one
bedroom apartments. We have a beautiful
HAppen!
club house and outdoor swimming pool & tHAt’s WHy
for your use. Enjoy our winding pathways
with a variety of vistas, get your hair done
We’Re HeRe
in our beauty salon and find great shopping
conveniently close by.
FoR yoU!
Join us today...Life is better here! pick-up & delivery | Rentals Available

F
Free estimates
Assistance with insurance claims

F
Your complete collision repair center since 1982

B
F
riarWOOd
COmmOns
a pa r t m E n t s 641 W. University Way
1001 south Chestnut • 933-1888 925-5680
www.briarwoodcommons.com
income restrictions apply
880470.ALM.08.cnr certified technicians  882118.ALM.08.cnr

Best
& Conference Center
Banquet & Meeting Facilities, Restaurant &
steaks Lounge, Wired High Speed Internet, Shuttle
In town!! to Seatac Airport, Updated Rooms,
Wedding Packages, 106 Rooms
1700 Canyon Road • Ellensburg • 925-9800 • www.ellensburginn.com

• Microwaves, refrigerators, and hair-dryers in each room

• High Speed Internet access completely free of charge
• Deluxe Suites with jetted tubs
• Business center, fitness center and a pool
• Deluxe continental breakfast that goes above and
beyond simply doughnuts and coffee
• Groups, Corporate, and Leisure rates available
962-9400
1-800-HOLIDAY
www.hiexpress.com/ellensburgwa
1620 Canyon Road
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 High-tech manufacturing in our future?
Smaller firms may
be attracted here
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer

J
im Armstrong, an eight-
year member of the
Economic Development
Group of Kittitas County,
looks into the near future
and believes smaller, highly
technical manufacturing
firms could be on the county’s
economic horizon.
“Yes, we have challenges to
meet in attracting businesses
here, but there is a new
recognition that we have
definite strengths that would
draw these businesses here,”
Armstrong said. “These are
small companies doing some
highly technical, highly skilled
work with metals or compos- The Ellensburg Business Development Authority operates the Ellensburg Business Incubator Building and program
ites and plastics. where small businesses can add employees and grow to a point where they can seek to re-establish themselves at their
“This could be tremendous own locations in the community.
for our community.”
Armstrong said the county
currently has a diverse array capabilities; being at a major perfect a product or manufac- potential for more, highly-
of manufacturing firms transportation hub at the turing process. skilled and well-paid jobs
upon which to build, from center of the state; being close These firms may deal with being established right here.”
large ones, which are major to the Puget Sound region; specialized, high-tech tools, He mentioned that a small,
employers, to the small, having a skilled work force; components or parts. high-tech, carbon fiber
in-the-garage operations that low crime; an outstanding The area also would be a composites business is now
produce quality products. quality of life without traffic good one for research compa- in the Ellensburg Business
Yet there is much room to gridlock; excellent recre- nies developing specialized Development Authority’s
grow more manufacturing ational opportunities in all biotechnology applications, business incubator, and an
companies and jobs, he says. directions; and, by West Side Armstrong said, including aerospace parts tooling firm
He acknowledges that standards, lower land prices. medical instruments, has a shop in the EBDA’s
efforts in the past to actively “We need to do a much monitors and a host of other multi-purpose building at the
seek out new industries for better job of marketing possibilities. county airport.
the county “have not been ourselves,” Armstrong said. From that research could
what they should have,” but The community might not also come spin-off products Changes needed
he believes that will soon attract huge information that could be made here in The changes that he believes
change. technology complexes as Kittitas County, Armstrong must occur for improved
First, there’s an effort to has been the case in Grant said. recruitment of high-tech
more boldly put forth the County with its lower power “We are increasingly looking businesses include:
positives of the local area: rates and lower land prices, more attractive to these kinds • Strengthened leader-
Central Washington University but he said smaller firms may of companies compared to ship and improved staffing
and all its resources, faculty, come, many needing an initial sites farther east,” Armstrong of economic development
students, staff and research location to expand research or said. “It all means a great groups that will coordinate

20 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 # 7 6 1 / 1 6 + 8 '
• Specializing in Fleet Maintenance & General Repair •
10.;
/MXXMXEWZEPPI]·WJYPPWIVZMGI
VEHMEXSVWLST
• Post Frame
509-962-2456 Buildings
• Garages
6936 Canyon Rd. • Barns
Ellensburg Wa. %'46+(+'& Monitor Building

Residential
EXCAVATING Commercial

SCAMPURR’S • Grading
• Concrete
PET SITTING Since 1972
Jim Bahmiller
Quality In-Home Pet Care
5983 Vantage Hwy #1A All Creatures Great and Small
Ellensburg, WA 98926 Chemical Free, Natural, Human Grade
Supplements for all animals including Retaining Walls
509-929-6300 Humans, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Exotics Ellensburg:
bahmillerwoodworks@fairpoint.net and the Earth.
1-888-652-9024 • 509-962-8021
Contr.# BAHMIW*935CF Freda Schneider Bonded Cle Elum 509-674-0333
(509)925-1685 & Insured Lic #CFAREC*055BD

609 N. Chestnut
925-2424

2008 Kittitas County

Church Directory

New Life Assembly First Christian

Sunday Services:
9:30 Sunday School (for ALL ages)
Church
600 N. Ruby
11:30 Worship Service 925-2644
Wednesday Services: www.fcceburg.blogspot.com
3:00-5:00 pm Kids Club (K-5 during school year) 6Q-PQY%JTKUV
7:00 pm Youth Group; Men’s/Women’s Bible Study; #PF/CMG*KO-PQYP
Intercessory Prayer †5GTXKEGU5WPFC[UCVCO
†%JKNF%CTGCPF,T9QTUJKRCTG
MOPS meets every other Monday, Sept. – May RTQXKFGFFWTKPIVJG/QTPKPI/GUUCIG
†#FWNV$KDNG5VWF[/QPFC[UCVRO
212 N. Main St. • Kittitas • 968-3847 †(QWPFCVKQP%JTKUVKCP(GNNQYUJKR
www.kittitasnewlife.org 6WGUFC[UCVRO

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 2

 High-tech manufacturing in our future?
their efforts in a unified
way to actively recruit new
firms and retain and expand
existing firms.
• Development of pre-
approved business reloca-
tion sites, whether leased or
purchased, and a streamlined
permit process supported
by local cities and county
government.
• Heightened support
and involvement from local
governments in recruitment
efforts, including increased
funding support of economic
development groups.
“We can’t operate on a
shoestring and get the results
the business community and
residents want, and what the
city and county are looking
for,” Armstrong said.
The community will, at
some point, need to seriously MCT
consider establishing a port
district. Such districts, by
state law, can collect taxes with companies that develop
for development of new industrial and manufac-
business relocation sites turing buildings and larger
and pay for infrastructure
improvements needed by new
complexes.
The development and Positioned to move forward
firms in making a move to the construction companies will
community. be told what’s available in
“I believe Kittitas County is Ellensburg, the Kittitas Valley By MIKE JOHNSTON Association and local
one of only four counties in and the county. senior writer governments have had
the state that doesn’t have a “Those bigger companies meetings since December
port district,” Armstrong said. looking for large amounts of Charlotte Tullos, chair- to develop new strategic
“It really puts us behind in cheaper land and low-cost woman of the Economic plans.
having the revenue we need power will probably go farther Development Group “It’s been a very positive
to attract business. We’re at a east, but there are a whole of Kittitas County, said experience,” Tullos said.
disadvantage.” lot of smaller companies that community business “Each group is examining
don’t need that and just want development organizations what it does and where
Reaching out to get out of Puget Sound,” and local governments are each fits in the overall
Ellensburg Chamber of Hansen said. “That’s where we in the midst of seriously effort. We’re definitely going
Commerce Board President come in.” re-examining how they to be stronger after this.
Bob Hansen said the county- The Ellensburg chamber, operate to assist local “We are positioned to
wide economic development he said, is working with the companies and draw new move forward.”
summit coming later this city of Ellensburg on more ones to the area. She said the economic
spring will help address the streamlined permit processes Tullos said representa- development group is
strengths and weaknesses in for new businesses that will tives of the Ellensburg working on grant funding
the community’s efforts to go hand in hand with any Chamber of Commerce, the and plans for a second
retain and recruit businesses. companies attracted to the Economic Development multi-purpose business
Plans are in the works, he area. Group of Kittitas County, building at the Airport
said, to send teams repre- “If those companies can the Ellensburg Business Industrial Park for indus-
senting the local develop- make it pay to move here, Development Authority, trial and manufacturing
ment groups to the Puget they’ll send their people over the Ellensburg Downtown firms to lease.
Sound area for direct talks here,” Hansen said.

22 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 Cedar Mountain Woodwrights
started a little more than 10 years ago
with a dream of providing unique,
high quality pieces that have includ-
ed display fixtures, furniture, custom
cabinetry and millwork. I have long
been frustrated by the low quality of
many of today’s products. I wanted to
provide a source for well crafted, long
lasting items that meet the desires of
our clients and reflect the philosophy
of our shop.
During our early years we outfit-
ted 2-team stores for the Seattle Mari-
ners, provided fixtures and cabinetry
for several import furniture stores in
Seattle, and created some unique fur-
niture and fixtures for the Mid Colum-
bia Library in Kennewick.
Special thanks to the community and local builders that have helped make our business successful.
We look forward to serving you in the future.
Custom cabinetry and creative
design has kept us busy in the valley
in recent years building a wide range
of mostly craftsman style cabinets
and furniture. We utilize many styles
of furniture making in a wide range of
wood types, including salvaged lum-
ber and beams. Our finishes feature
nature-friendly wax-oils as well as wa-
ter borne finishes and stains.
Come find us in our historic loca- 509-933-2602
tion in the original Ellensburg Hotel
building located at the corner of third 303 North Main Street (office)
and Main Street in Ellensburg. 209 West Third Street (shop)
Michael and Cami Bello, owners
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 2
 Business recruitment success
It takes time,
persistence,
funding, staff and
ready-to-go sites
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer
O
nce a manufacturing
business contacts
the Grant County
Economic Development
Council in Moses Lake
indicating it’s looking for help
relocating in Grant County,
the staff swings into action.
Essentially, if the business
doesn’t have a relocation site,
the staff will quickly produce a
packet of information tailor-
made to meet the relocation
needs as outlined by business.
In the packet will be
detailed information on two
to three specific sites ready
for construction or buildings
available to be moved into.
The sites can be anywhere in
the county, including in any
one of 10 port districts and in
all county cities.
The zoning, infrastructure
improvements and other
land-use requirements have
all been previously taken care
of at the sites.
The same up-to-date land-
use, lot and utilities informa-
tion the cities, the county and
ports have is also possessed
by the GCEDC.
A packet can be put
together within a day of being
contacted by a client.
Jonathan Smith, manager
of communications and
research for the Grant County
Economic Development
Council, or GCED, said
24 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Time to map assets
IPZ designation
is option
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer
Kittitas County may not
attract companies the likes
of Yahoo! or Microsoft, but
it needs to map out what
assets it does have that
manufacturing or high-tech
firms may be looking for.
Julie Anderson, senior
policy adviser for the state
Department of Community,
Trade & Economic Devel-
opment in Olympia, said
communities should take
time to examine what are
their positive factors that
can attract businesses.
“It’s crucial for commu-
nities to build on their
material assets and what
gives them a competitive
edge that businesses are
looking for,” Anderson said.
“Yet they also need to be
innovative and think about
the council also will set up
meetings with city, county or
port district officials to give
the client further assistance.
“We do our best to give our
clients a one-stop location for
nearly all he needs,” Smith
said. “Large companies usually
don’t want people to know, at
least initially, about a possible
move. There’s much confiden-
tiality in our services.” taxes. This revenue is used to
Years of laying the founda-
tion of strong partnerships
how to diversify their future
business base into new areas
that, perhaps, they’ve never
dreamed about.”
Understanding how an
area’s economy presently
works can lead to setting
a new course on where a
community wants to be in
the way of new business
recruitment or retaining
existing ones.
She said communities
can use traditional business
bases, like agriculture, and
add new ways of doing
business, such as attracting
firms to the area that offer
value-added products from
ag commodities or new uses
for traditional ag products.
The same can be true for
manufacturing, Anderson
said.
She invites communities
that have significant tracts
of developable property to
consider applying to the
state to form an Innovation
Partnership Zone. The IPZ
designation can lead to
with local cities, port districts
and the county, as well as with
local business groups and
utilities, has yielded a string
of successes in bringing new
firms to Grant County, he said.
The 10 port districts
— including Moses Lake,
Ephrata, Quincy, Royal Slope,
Mattawa and Warden — have
the authority to levy property
develop business sites for lease
or for sale, leaving little that a
grants or other support to
help encourage the develop-
ment of “industry clusters”
in a specific geographic area.
Anderson said these
clusters are much like what’s
created in a research park.
To qualify for the state
designation, applicants
must partner with a
research, workforce
training and a globally
competitive company in
close proximity. The goal
would be to form a cooper-
ative, research-based
development, or park, that
will lead to new, commer-
cially viable products and
jobs.
Applicants must be a
nonprofit development
council, a port district,
workforce development
council, city or county
government.
“These zones can become
magnets to attract manufac-
turers to your community,”
Anderson said. “The result
are jobs.”
new company must do in the
way of permit processing.
The funds also are used
to construct roads, improve
communication and utility
systems and, in many other
ways, meet the infrastructure
needs of locating businesses
and their buildings within
port district boundaries.
“The districts are crucial to
encouraging business develop-
ment,” Smith said.
For example, the port of

Ephrata in the past three
years has attracted businesses
including a firm that builds
the top portion of wind farm
turbine towers, resulting in
jobs for 180 people.
Another: the port of Quincy
in 2007 saw the opening of
two, huge data centers for
Yahoo! and Microsoft on port
land. A third is under construc-
tion by Intuit on private lands
near port property and was
assisted by the port.
When the three are fully
built out, they should total 125
jobs with salaries at $70,000 to
$75,000 a year.
Smith said planning for the
sites started before the so-called
dot.com crash, and didn’t end
with that industry’s downturn.
Another plus is that Grant
County PUD offers very
competitive power rates for
Business recruitment success
large, industrial users.
Yet things don’t happen
overnight.
“There’s sometimes years
of planning and hours of
staff work involved behind
a successful effort to help
a business come to Grant
County,” Smith said. “There’s
also the risk of investment in
buildings knowing if we don’t
build it the chances are they
won’t come.”
Smith said the successes
being experienced now
are the result of long-term
planning, maintaining strong
community partnerships and
wise investments.
“You need real patience
Kathryn Stevens / Wenatchee World
to keep at it,” Smith said.
“Especially keep planning and Will Lacey, a YAHOO! site operations technician from Dallas, Texas, works on
building those relationships, an underground wire system in the YAHOO! data center as people toured
even when results are not the facility during the grand opening for the YAHOO! server farm in Quincy
immediate.” recently.

DON‘S
ATHER 9%!23
AFFORDABLE
LE SHOP
&!-),9/7.%$ FUNERAL CARE
EST. 1968 /0%2!4%$ A Tradition of Caring

Custom Saddles & Tack (509) 925-2902

Saddle Fitting & Repair 101 East 2nd Avenue | Ellensburg, WA 98926
New & Used Saddles
Holsters & Scabbards
We offer you options…
Complete funeral and cremation services
Pack Equipment • B Bar B Chaps at time of need or by prearrangement.
King Ropes • Crooked Stirrups
We welcome your calls…
Western Wear From • Wrangler | Carhartt Know the facts. Compare.
Resistol | Stetson | Boulet | Olathe | Double H Boots
We share your concern
and value your confidence.
Don’s Leather shop
1492 thomas rd • ellensburg, Wa 98926 BONNIE MARSH - (509) 962-2925
Monday - saturday • 8am - 6pm
509-925-4613 Serving all Kittitas County locations with no added mileage or overtime charge.
881378.ALM.08.cnr

879809.ALM.08.cnr

Owners - Don, Gabe, Andy & Frank Bacon Locally Owned and Supporting Our Community
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 2
 Mac a B e e
Art • Linen • Artifacts Music • Pottery • Rugs
1-800-635-1883 American West Purses • Furniture • Jewelry • Homemade Fudge

<>;IHD;I=:HDJI=L:HI
Online VideO TOurs 24/7 aT
www.CleElumTours.com

www.windermerecleelum.com
www.kittitascountyconnection.com

Windermere Real Estate/Cle Elum

807 W. First Street, Cle Elum, Wa 98922 ,&6^gedgiGdVY™8aZ:ajb!L6
*%.#+,)#,%**™lll#bVXVWZZh#cZi

5BLF
B
TIPSU
TDFOJD
ESJWF
Where can you find year round fun?

j
BOE
GJOE
ZPVSTFMG
FOKPZJOH

B
HSFBU
IPNFTUZMF
NFBM
BU
Start your adventure in Upper
Kittitas County!

.*/&3"-
413*/(4 Fall Hunting • Wildlife • Photography

Bird Watching • Horseback Riding

Spring
Mushroom Hunting • Back Packing
Kite Flying • Biking • Fishing • Hiking

)XZ


$MF
&MVN
8"

1IPOF



 Winter
Snowmobiling • Cross Country Skiing
Downhill Skiing • Majestic Scenery

Summer Water Skiing • Camping • Boating

Rock Hunting • River Rafting

Cle Elum/Roslyn
Chamber of Commerce
401 W. 1ST • Cle Elum, WA 98922 • 509-674-5958 • www.cleelumroslyn.org
Provided by the City of Cle Elum H/M Taxes

887285.ALM.08.cnr

2 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 Follow Your Senses
Come for the We Know How
To Please Them!
scenery,
stay for the
opportunities.
Cle Elum • Roslyn • Ronald
501 East First Street
Easton • Liberty • South Cle Elum Cle Elum, WA
509.674.2233

GET LOST • Hallmark Cards

in your own back yard • Perfumes
• Prescriptions
{ Dream properties starting at only $129,900 } • Gifts
Situated along the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Sapphire Skies provides some of the most extraordinary
• Sundries
properties available for an ideal mountain retreat. Whether you’re looking for property close to a lake, in an open • Colonial Candles
meadow or high atop a scenic ridge, we’ve got you covered. And with Sapphire Skies, you’re getting more than • Much More
just raw land—you’re receiving carefully selected building sites featuring paved roads for easy year-round access,
as well as essential property amenities including:

• Underground utilities
• Common-sense covenants so you can exercise your individuality
Dr. Dave Arnold, Pharm. D.
• Private communities with gated entry
• Common-sense covenants so you can exercise your individuality
• Private communities with gated entry
Prescriptions • Gifts • Sundries
Set up a tour today, call 1.888.844.LAND or
visit www.sapphireskies.net to learn more.
106 East First Street • Cle Elum, WA
888.844.5263 | 509.674.6828 | 206 West First Street | Cle Elum, WA 98922 509-674-2571
883953.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 2

niversity

Join us NOW.
It’s the center of
the UNIVERS - ITY!

U n i v e r s i t y s
Specials

P r o p e r t i e offered
m o n t h l y.
P l a c e University Place &
University Park Apar tments
501 E. 18th Ave • Ellensburg
509.962.5501
w w w. u ppro per ties.co m • up l a ce@f a i r poi n t . n e t
890846.ALM.08.cnr

28 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Alto’s cuts out a market niche
By MICHAEL GALLAGHER
assistant editor

A
s quiet as the whisk of
a blade or the rustle of
fabric, Alto’s EZ Mat Inc.
has produced a line of mat
and quilt cutting products and
provided steady employment
in Ellensburg for almost three
decades.
“We’re not retail, we’re not in
the public,” said Sam Albright,
who owns the business with
his wife, Ren.
Albright’s father, Alto,
started the business in
Kirkland, but moved it to
Ellensburg.
“I went to school here in
the 1970s. My father started
making the mat cutters in
Kirkland in the mid-1970s.
We found the old hotel
across from the train station
and we’re there in the 1980s
and ‘90s.”
The business is now located
at 703 N. Wenas.
Alto’s originally produced
a variety of mat cutters for
do-it-yourselfers who cut the Ren and Sam Albright hold a box for the Quilt Cut 2 in their factory on March 10.
mats for their own picture
frames.
“In the 1970s there was While the products may sure it goes together right. We Alto’s EZ mat Inc.
no competition,” Albright differ, both fit within the guarantee everything.”
said. “Over the years company’s main objective. Production is pretty steady
there’s become more and “We make tools that people over the course of the year, Founded: 1974
now there’s not as many can use,” Albright said. Albright said, with the busiest Employees: six to seven
do-it-yourselfers.” time coming before the spring Location: Ellensburg
About eight years ago Alto’s Production and sales and summer fairs and shows.
came up with a product that At its Ellensburg facility, Alto’s relies on product Product: mat cutting and quilt
cuts quilting fabric. It allows Alto’s workers assemble demonstrators at fairs cutting systems
precision and speed. components that are and quilt shows to bring Area of distribution:
“We made a way to simplify produced by other firms to its products to the public. nationwide
the cutting,” Albright said. “It the company’s specifications. The demonstrators, which
cuts a lot of pieces quickly and Suppliers are in Yakima and are independent from
accurately.” California. The carry bags Alto’s, purchase the items Albright said the company
The quilting line now tops come from China. at wholesale and sale at needs the person-to-person
50 percent of Alto’s sales, and “Every product is hand retail. The company has interaction of a demonstrator
is the growth segment of the made,” Albright said. “We exclusive contracts with the showing people how to use
company. watch everything to make demonstrators. the product.

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 29


“Our products are demonstration
products,” Albright said.
The company is also adjusting to a
market where people turn to the Internet
to research a purchase. Albright said they
are putting together a demonstration
video for the Web site.
Albright said quilters of all ages are Web
savvy, and are very network oriented,
which means it’s important for Alto’s to
reach its customers in places like quilt
shops where quilters gather.
One trend that is a challenge for any
small manufacturer is the push toward
the cheapest product possible.
When a decision is made purely on
price, it is hard for a small manufacturer
to compete, Albright said.
“People expect to find something
cheaper and cheaper,” Albright said. “It
kills a small store’s ability to compete.
Ellensburg is well-situated
Albright said Alto’s could be located
Call or
Stop By For
Your Tour Today
0 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Alto’s cuts out a market niche
anywhere, but one of the benefits of
being in Ellensburg in the proximity to
Interstates 90 and 82.
“We work with UPS, FedEx and
different freight lines,” Albright said.
“Ellensburg is great that way. All shippers
want freight coming out of here because
all have freight coming into here. They
want your freight.”
Ellensburg’s location would make it
a good spot for other small companies,
Albright said.
“One of our suppliers out of Yakima
wanted to move here, but received
no incentive to do so and moved to
Richland,” Albright said.
Although Albright’s has been in
Rex Nickerson assembles the
board for a Quilt Cut 2 product on
March 10.
We’ve been serving the Agribusiness Community
for over 50 years. We recognize Ag Day
and the importance of agriculture in our valley.
• Timothy Seed • Custom Seeding
• Liquid Fertilizers & Application
• Dry Fertilizers • Crop Protection
• Field Consulting • Forage Seeds
• Fertilizer Service
“Our Family Serving Your
Family Since 1948”
FERTILIZERS CHEMICALS SEEDS
www.mithkem.com
200 Railroad Ave., Ellensburg • 925-5977
“The Valley’s Most Complete Fertilizer,
Seed & Crop Protection Company”
 Alto’s cuts out a market niche
business in Ellensburg for 28 years,
Albright said no one involved in
economic development has ever spoken
to him about what it takes to succeed as a
small manufacturer.
Sam and Ren Albright own the business
but Alto is still involved as an adviser,
Ren Albright said.

Future plans
Albright expects the quilting line to
continue to grow in importance for the
company. Alto’s holds a patent on the
product and does not face any competi-
tion at the moment.
“Our goal is to be as steady as possible,”
Albright said.

Sam Albright, president of Alto’s, demon-

strates how specially designed molds are
factory finished by drilling holes for other
pieces and assembly on March 10.

Thank you to
all who worked
so hard on the
new renewable
energy center.
49 PG Inc.
Almost every day someone asks me if A-1 Petroleum
Allied Security
this is the best time to buy a home. Boogie Man Music
The answer I always give them is: Brad & Burke
By Design Rockeries
“The best time to invest in a new Catlin Electric, Inc.
Cedar Mountain Woodwrights
home is when you find the one you Central Valley Glass, Inc.
CWU - Anthropology Dept. & Students
really want to live in.” Claffey’s Painting
Coal Mountain Construction LLC
If you are ready to start looking for your new home Cougar Creek Timber Frame LLC
Country Construction/Masonry Inc.
please give me a call. I can show you any home listed
Cruse & Associates
on the NW Multiple Listing Service. That includes just Cummins Service
about every home in the Real Estate Guide.
~ Larry
885556.ALM.08.cnr
Dale Lee Jr. Inc.
Don Patterson
Encompass Engineering
Fitterers Furniture
Green Building Services, Inc.
Houser Custom Cleaning
Jim’s Glass & Contracting
Limited Energy Concepts
M2 Industrial
M.F. Williams Construction
McNutt Bros. Custom Electronics
Morgan & Sons
Picatti Bros
Premier building Systems
Premier Paint & Floor Covering
Ramsey Plumbing Inc.
R A S & Associates
Rauda Scale Models
Reecer Creek Excavating
Robinson Drilling
Rodeo City Graphics
Sage Construction Inc.
Septic Design & Maintenance
SH Construction Inc.
Shaw’s Furniture & Appliance
SignDog Graphics
Spot janitorial
Todd Miller
Top Knotch Construction, LLC
Western Building Design
Western Metal Products

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

32 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 33
 CWT puts roofs over our heads
Local truss
company serves
wide radius
By CHANCE EDMAN
staff writer
B
asic necessities in life are
food on the table and a
roof over our heads.
Rick and Debra Scheer don’t
own a corner hoagie stand,
nor do they plan to. Instead,
their business is committed
to keeping the roofs over our
heads from crashing down.
34 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
The Scheers own Central
Washington Truss in Ellens-
burg located on Vantage
Highway.
CWT designs and manufac-
tures triangular-shaped
wooden trusses that support
the roof of a building.
Making a truss requires
precise measuring and
planning from top to bottom.
The first step is measuring a
house on site. Builders usually
send dimensions to CWT,
but in order to avoid errors,
CWT employees do their own
measurements to verify what
the builders sent.
Once measurements are
finalized, the design begins.
Being in the truss business
since 1975 when he was in
high school, Scheer remem-
bers drawing up plans with a
pencil and straight edge. Times
have changed in the industry
and now he and his employees
use a computer program to
build a virtual house with a
foundation and walls to get a
visual of what size and kind of
trusses will be needed.
When the virtual house
is built on the computer
program, Scheer sends it to
his employees in the front
office who engineer trusses to
support the roof.
Last year, CWT moved $3.5
million in sales and it averages
between $3-$4 million a year.
“We had a great year last
year,” Scheer said. “We’re
hoping this year will be just as
good.”
Measurements are sent to
cutters in a large warehouse
that buzzes with saws all
day. Cutters work quickly,
breaking a sweat as they haul
long pieces of wood onto the
cutting board where preset
measurements speed up the
process.
Saws rip through the wood
as cutters piece them together
to form the trusses. Joints are
 CWT puts roofs over our heads
tacked together, then flipped and tacked
again before being sent through a metal
roller to tighten and align the truss.
CWT owns three trucks that deliver
trusses to construction sites. The trucks
typically need oversized load permits
because the trusses can be as wide as a
mobile home.
CWT services a large portion of
Washington from Moses Lake to Lake
Chelan to Tri-Cities and upper Kittitas
County. Crews can ship out as many as
eight loads a day depending on how far
drivers are traveling.
Once a load arrives at a construction
site, CWT sets the trusses in place with
mounted cranes on each truck that
extend 70 feet in any direction. It usually
takes about an hour or more to get the
trusses in place.
Truss installation generally is the third
step in the construction process. Builders
lay concrete and erect walls before
they’re ready for trusses. After the trusses
are firmly in place, a building is sheeted
and roofed to allow plumbers and electri-
cians to do their jobs. Central Washington Truss owner Rick Scheer stands in front of one of his distributing trucks on Vantage
Engineers have to consider a variety Highway.
of factors when designing trusses. A
truss headed for an Upper County tons and tons of lumber, from local mills Central Washington Truss
home may differ from an Ellensburg in Washington. The business employs 20
home in its weight-bearing capacity people year-round and increases to 34
due to heavier snow loads. Engineers in the summer when homes are usually Founded: 2000
have to consider that in the Upper springing up around the area. Location: Vantage Highway, Ellensburg
County and design a sturdier frame Rick Scheer moved the business to Employees: Winter: 20, Summer: 34
than perhaps other homes that may Ellensburg from Yakima in 2000 with two
not see that volume of snow. partners. He bought out the last of the Product: Trusses for new homes and buildings
“We have to make sure our trusses bear three owners about a year and a half ago Area of distribution: Central Washington
all the way through a wall and down to to become the sole owner of the business.
the floor,” Scheer said. “We’re very excited about our
CWT gets its raw materials, which is business,” Scheer said.

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 35

 No longer playing games
Computer programming skills
turned into serious business
for Cle Elum business founder
By MARY SWIFT
staff writer
C
LE ELUM — Comtronic
Systems, a Cle Elum-
based company, is
a world-wide leader in
developing debt collection
technology.
But the company’s begin-
ning was much more modest.
The year was 1980.
Jeff Dantzler, the company’s
founder and president, was
17 and busy turning out
computer games in the dining
room of his parents’ Kent area
home.
The games sold for $10 to
$15 a shot — and Dantzler
had a following.
“I used a lot of students for
beta testing,” he says. “People
loved to come to my house.”
A year or two later — “I
was 18 or 19,” Dantzler says
— he developed a program
to manage real estate. At the
time, Dantzler believed it
would help his father manage
property he owned.
Dantzler’s dad never used
it (it turns out he isn’t as
computer literate as his son).
But the product hit a nerve
with others.
“I wrote what was the
first commercially avail-
able property management
product,” says Dantzler.
By then, he was a student
at Bates Technical College
studying computer science.
While he’d been able
to market his games at
night, and sold thousands,
marketing the property
36 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
management program meant
taking some time off from
school. It was worth it. The
new program sold for $99,
a substantial amount more
than what he was getting for
games.
In 1983, Dantzler came
out with a loan collection
program for banks.
“I was getting $350 for the
loan collection program and,
by then, also for the property
management program,” the
now 45-year-old Dantzler
says. “We probably sold close
to 3,000 property manage-
ment systems and 1,500 loan
collection products. The
prices kept going up.”
By the time he sold that
product line, those products Jeff Dantzler, Comtronic Systems founder and president.
were going for $2,000 apiece.
Dantzler had bigger dreams
to pursue. He’s fallen in love with the didn’t have a double income,
After finishing a two-year area while on recreational which was what was required
degree, he’d done a two-year visit and wanted to move his to buy a home in the Seattle
stint as a programmer for family here. The location, market. When they came to
another company, a job he just an hour and a half from this area there were houses
quit in 1985, he set out intent Seattle-Tacoma International everywhere from $59,000 to
on building his own business. Airport, wasn’t unreasonable $79,000. They jumped right in.
It was the year he intro- from a logistics standpoint. Today, someone starting out
duced Debtmaster, a debt And there was an additional here probably needs a double
collection product that speeds appeal: the prospect of income. At the time, it was the
up collections by enhancing keeping good employees by right move.”
efficiency. relocating them to an area His employees weren’t the
In the 20-plus years since, where housing was affordable. only ones who benefited from
the company has sold about Of the 10 employees who a more affordable real estate
1,800 of the systems which moved with the company, market.
sell for from $6,000 to “many, eight stayed on permanently “I was not only able to
many times more,” Dantzler in the Upper County. afford a house, but the office,”
says. “An employer wants an Dantzler says.
Sixteen years ago, Dantzler employee to be stable,” Today, the firm has 19
made a major move, uprooting Dantzler says. “Part of stability employees, an annual payroll
Comtronic Systems from is owning a home. We had of close to a million dollars,
leased space in Federal Way mostly single employees, and occupies 8,000 square
and relocating to Cle Elum. fresh out of college. So they feet of a 12,000 square foot

building Dantzler had built, in three
stages, in downtown Cle Elum. An
engineering firm leases the additional
4,000 square feet.
“In two years we will probably be
looking for more space,” Dantzler says.
But he adds a note of caution. “At the
same time, if we’re headed into recession,
we just don’t know.”
Only about 5 percent of the company’s
sales are in Washington state with about
10 percent in Canada and the remaining
85 percent in other areas of the country.
About half of that is on the East Coast, he
says.
In 2006, the company — which has
won a number of awards in the industry
— shocked the market by coming
out with new technology. Dubbed
“CallThru,” it’s an innovative debt collec-
tion system.
“It’s a fully integrated system that
manages an entire collection agency
or bank,” Dantzler says. “It manages all
No longer playing games
communication, inbound and outbound.
We control the phone system and every-
thing that goes on.”
Collections, Dantzler says, is a numbers
game, which is why creating a system
that uses sophisticated routing to help
identify and connect with debtors
in a consistent, efficient manner is
important.
“In collections, you spend 80 percent of
your effort trying to collect from the top
20 percent most likely to pay,” Dantzler
says. Because collection agencies are
paid on commission, after a few calls on
smaller accounts agents usually move
on, concentrating time and energy on
account more likely to produce a bigger
payday.
CallThru keeps after even small
accounts.
“People who cannot pay all their bills
pay the bills of those who pester them
the most,” he says. “This program will
call you until hell freezes over.”
Comtronic Systems
Founded: 1980
Employees: 19
Location: 205 N. Harris Ave., Cle Elum
Products: Sophisticated debt collection
technology including Debtmaster and CallThru
Area of distribution: nationwide
Dantzler says CallThru is first of a kind
although one competitor has announced
its going to come out with a product.
“This product typically sells for $60,000
to $120,000,” he says. “It’s been on the
market for 18 months. It’s been going
well but slower than what we projected.
It’s a huge product and has a huge poten-
tial to grow dozens and dozens of jobs in
Kittitas County.”

You Don’t Have To Be Catholic To Be A Member

CCU has full service financial offerings from Savings to Auto Loans,
Home Equity Loans, Mortgage options, Certificate Accounts, Checking
Accounts with Debit cards, Online Banking with free Bill Payer, VISA
Credit Cards all handled by a LOCAL financial
institution at extremely competitive rates.

900 South Ruby Street • Ellensburg, WA • 509-925-5633

110 North Fifth Avenue • Yakima, WA • 509-248-2960
1-800-354-8317

887221.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 37

 Third generation guides Cle Elum’s
Shoemaker Manufacturing
By MARY SWIFT
staff writer
C
LE ELUM — For John
Hein, director of opera-
tions for Shoemakers
Manufacturing Co. in Cle Elum,
business is a family affair.
For Hein and his family,
Shoemakers isn’t just a
business — it’s a legacy.
The company manufactures
residential, commercial and
industrial grills, registers and
other products for heating
and air conditioning systems.
Founded in 1947 in Seattle
by Bill Shoemaker, it moved to
Roslyn four years later to take
advantage of the labor force
made available by the Upper
County’s diminishing mining
industry.
In 1954, Rudy Hein, a former
mineworker, went to work for
Shoemakers. Two years later,
he and his wife, Patti, bought
the company.
Rudy Hein, John’s grand-
father, was involved in the
business until his death in
1992. Jerry Hein, John’s father,
joined the company in 1972
and remains its chairman.
Patricia Hein, John’s mother,
is the CFO. His oldest sister,
Claire Nicholls, handles
marketing.
“It’s neat because it’s
carrying on the family
legacy,” says John, who
graduated from Cle Elum-
Roslyn High and went on
to earn a business degree at
Washington State University.
“But it is also overwhelming.
You don’t want to be the
generation that doesn’t take it
to is next level.”
Even as a child, the now 28-
year-old Hein was enamored
38 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
of the operation.
“I followed my Dad and
Grandpa around here since
I was 4 years old,” he says.
“My Dad and Grandpa were
engineers. They designed the
tooling that made the product.
“I always loved it,” he says.
“But nobody goes through
high school thinking, I’m
going to work in sheet metal.’”
The competitive lure of the
business drew him back after
college.
“I’ve always been competi-
tive and like the challenge of
figuring out how to be better
than the competition. This,
being the family business, is
icing on the cake. It would be
fun to hand over the reins to
the fourth generation and sit
back and watch,” he says.
The company produces
more than 18,000 different
kinds of heating-and cooling-
related products.
“We sell to distributors
who put kits together to sell
to customers who put HVAC
systems into a house,” Hein
says. “We are nationwide but
our largest markets are on the
West Coast.”
Just as his grandfather and
father were, Hein is a hands-
on presence in the plant that
turns out 20,000 grills and
registers each day during its
busy season.
“Employees see me out on
the floor at least four hours a
day. When my dad is in town
he goes out too — and distracts
them more than anything else,”
John says with a grin.
The business moved from
Roslyn to Cle Elum in 1969 to
gain more production space.
At the time, the 35,000 square
foot building it occupied
Shoemakers Manufacturing Co.
Founded: 1947
Years in Kittitas County: 57 (moved to Roslyn in 1951)
Location: 618 E. First St., Cle Elum
Number of Employees: 125
Products: Residential, commercial and industrial grills and registers and other
items for heating and air conditioning systems
Area of distribution: Primarily on the West Coast although the company does
distribute nationally
seemed more than enough for
the future, Hein says.
“The thought was that
we would never need more
space,” he says.
Time proved that assump-
tion wrong as demand for the
company’s products grew.
The company’s facilities,
spread along the south side of
First Street, now total 182,000
square feet.
The business has 125
employees, 19 of whom have
been with the company 20 or
more years.
“We have a strong employee
base,” Hein says. “Our culture
is, we demand excellence
from our people and our
production. Our product line
is considered the Cadillac of
the industry. When you buy
a Shoemaker product you’re
buying the top of the line.”
The family-run business is
also family friendly: one shift,
7 a.m. to 3 p.m., nights and
weekends off, incentive pay
for employees who don’t miss
work and a week off between
Christmas and New Year’s.
If attendance has been good,
that week is paid time off.
“We’re tied to the housing
industry,” Hein says.
“When we’re busy, it’s 150
employees.“
Hein says the downturn
in the housing market is the
company’s biggest challenge
for 2008 and 2009. I think it’s
going to be the middle of 2009
before it ratchets back up
again.”
The biggest change in the
industry is the cost of doing
business and the offshore
competition from China,
Vietnam “and a little bit from
Mexico” producing systems for
“cookie cutter houses,” he says.
“But the commercial market
is strong right now — grocery
stores and strip malls that serve
the houses that have been built.
So we redirect our effort. Where
we have room to grow is in the
commercial market.”
As for the company’s future,
don’t plan on any major
moves away from Kittitas
County. The Hein family’s
roots are planted deep.
“I want it to be in Cle Elum,
in Kittitas County,” Hein says.
“I want to keep us in this area.”
See video of the Shoemaker’s
manufacturing process at www.
dailyrecordnews.com
 I N E
IM AG
can help
Fosseen’s
turn those R E ALITY…
S i n t o
DREAM
A fi r e p l a c e …
e v e r y r o o m
…in

A barbeque io…
on every pat

n o w … a J a cuzzi
And h o use!
Spa i n e v e r y

HOT TUBS

FOSSEEN’S
HOME & HEARTH
• Lennox
• Country
• Blaze King • Napoleon
• Mendota • Green Egg
• Jotul • Vermont Castings
509-933-3002 • And • Introducing Jacuzzi Spas
704 N. Wenas Street • Ellensburg, WA. Open Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm & Saturdays 9am to 3pm

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 A ready-to-build industrial park
Developers: lots
fill a definite need
By MIKE JOHNSTON
senior writer

R
obert Terrell believes his
Center Point Business
Park on Dolarway
Road offers the only private,
ready-to-build-upon lots for
purchase by light industrial
firms in Kittitas County.
“If there’s another one
somewhere else, well, I don’t
know about it,” said Terrell who
is part of The Alliance Develop-
ment Group of Ellensburg LLC
that is constructing the park
east of Ellensburg’s west inter-
change to Interstate 90.
Work began about a year
ago and all infrastructure for
the first nine, one-acre lots
should be complete by the
end of April. Terrell said two
lots are already sold and three
other firms are interested in
buying, too. He said business
owners can make their own
arrangements to construct
their buildings or the Alliance
will build to suit.
Bob Hansen, the RE/MAX
Community Realty broker
representing the business park,
said Center Point takes in more
than 80 acres, and a second
short-plat is being developed
on another set of lots.
“It will have all that’s needed
for someone to come right in,
everything a business owner
would want,” Hansen said.
“Water, sewer, roads, curbs,
natural gas, fiber-optics and
Internet.”
Hansen said the devel-
opment group examined
business needs in the Ellens-
burg area and concluded
light industrial facilities
were sorely lacking and
Center Point Business Park on Dolarway Road, above, offers the only ready-to-build-upon lots for purchase to light-
industrial customers in Kittitas County, according to one of its developers, Robert Terrell of Ellensburg.
would be in demand.
“That’s why we’re rolling the
dice, so to speak, to find out if
it’s all going to work,” Terrell
said.
Hansen said Center Point
Business Park lots, which are
up for purchase, complement
the lots that are available for
lease from Kittitas County at
the Airport Industrial Park
north of Ellensburg next to
Bowers Field. The airport
park lots also are ready for
construction.
Hansen said Center Points
offers the ability to combine
lots and configure them to
meet specific needs: three,
five, 10 or higher in acreage.
Terrell, also head of Terrell
Brothers Construction LLC,
said he’s been in the construc-
tion and development field for
30 years or more and believes
Ellensburg is at a crucial point
in regard to further economic
development.
He said changes are needed,
in his opinion, in how Ellens-
burg is seen in relation to
welcoming new business,
including manufacturing and
high-tech products. He said
Ellensburg has a reputation
for not being as “business
cooperative” as it could be.
Terrell said significant
increases in 2007 in utility costs
and boosts in fees for a variety
of development requirements
and mitigations have made
it more expensive to locate a
business in Ellensburg.
He said a firm considering
to purchase a Center Point
lot recently tallied up all the
costs, including city permit
and mitigation fees, and
decided to go farther east to
Quincy or Moses Lake.
“The increasing costs can be
handicap,” Terrell said.
Firms that must locate in
Ellensburg for a definite reason
will come, he said, but if they
have options to go elsewhere
the costs here are going to be a
big factor in their decision.
“All these costs keep
compounding against devel-
oping something that’s afford-
able,” he said.
Terrell said the city needs to
expedite changes to the city
zoning code that deal with
what activity is permitted
to take place within the
light industrial designation
— changes that will allow
more high-tech development,
fabrication and manufac-
turing to occur in the zone.
He said he has a client who
has a high-tech activity and
is interested in a lot, but the
current zoning definition
doesn’t exactly fit his activity.
“I’m just saying the city
should try to be a little more
business friendly,” Terrell said.

40 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 Residential & Commercial
• Trucking • Asphalt Drives & Parking
• Road Work • Water Lines
• Utility Installation • Sewer Lines
• Demolition • Land Clearing
• Building Site Development • Irrigation Systems
(509) 925-6000
503 South Water, Ellensburg, WA 98926
FREE ESTIMATES
Bonded & Insured Lic#MRMCOL*045B9

Need an DZELKK9IFK?<IJ
Electrician? Over 53 Years of Service to Kittitas County
and North Central Washington
• Full Service Lumber Yard
• Roof Truss Plant
Custom Electronics

509-962-5797 • Design Center

• Door & Custom Millwork Shop
• Vinyl & Wood Windows
Ellensburg Favorite Electronics Store
• Satellite Dishes • Big Screen TVs
“We Answer the Phone” • In-House Estimates & Takeoff
Service • Car Stereo Systems
• Drywall Supply-Boomtruck

MAIN STORE: Leavenworth

Delivery with Stocking www.mcnuttbros.com
Now Open in Cle Elum
509-548-5829 Fax: 509-548-6372 100 S. Oakes Street
206 W. Tacoma St.
925-3007
Mon-Fri • 7am-5pm
BRANCH LOCATIONS:

E L E C T R I C Chelan
509-682-1617
Wenatchee
509-663-5154
Cle Elum
509-674-0777
Lic #ASAPEEL958RZ

“Get a Little LA Fashion

in Ellensburg”
In Kittitas
County

400 S. Main Street • 933-1151

)KH VU
6Q[UHQT
VJG;QWPI
;QWPICV
2008 *G CTV

0/CKP5V'NNGPUDWTI9#

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 Best Contractor Best Mortgage Lender Best Real Estate Agent
Cont Reg#BUCHACI160JT
Sandy Walker
Buchanan Email: sandyw@elltel.net
www.sandysellsellensburg.com
Construction, inc. 25 Years of real estate experience

Office: (509) 925-5577

Thank You...to all our loyal customers!
925-5527 • Ellensburg
509.962.3008 Cell: (509) 929-1537
1-800-448-5958
1206 N Dolarway, Suite 112 • ellensburg@lfgloan.com

Best Title Company Best Pizza Place Best Mechanic

Best Title Company
Jason Mallick
on being Voted Best Mechanic
of Kittitas County in Kittitas County
“Dedicated to Enhancing the Real Estate Closing Process”
Majority Owned by Local Employees
208 West Ninth, Suite 6 • Ellensburg, WA 98926
c.v. AUTO WORKSinc.
1-888-444-9962 • (509) 933-4324 • www.kittitastitle.com 205 W. Tacoma 962-9282 108 N. Kittitas, Ellensburg 962•2868

Best Bed & Breakfast

Best Insurance Agent Best Bakery Best Hotel
Scott Rollins Ins Agcy Inc
Scott Rollins, Agent
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Bus: 509-925-1483

LiKE A gOOd NEighbOr

StAtE FArM iS thErE.®
933-1850
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
State Farm Indemnity Company
700 East University Way Reasonably PRiced, luxuRiously aPPointed.
Bloomington, IL • statefarm.com
Open Tuesday through Sunday 10 laRge theme/Jacuzzi Rooms
Providing Insurance and Financial Services • State-Of-Art Conference Room
• FREE DSL High Speed Internet Connection/WiFi
• Non-Smoking Facility
Best Workout Place Best Burger Place • Complimentary Continental Breakfast
• Sorry - No Pets
s’ • Cable 77 Channels + HBO
William 962-8030
CAMPUS U-TOTE-EM Toll Free 1-800-533-0822
Orders To Go or Inside Seating
Over 20 Different Delicious Homestyle Burgers! E-Mail: goosecrk@ellensburg.com
Voted Best Burgers in town! Again!
BEST PLACES
NORTHWEST
www.innatgoosecreek.com
1720 Canyon Rd. • Ellensburg, WA
Fast Friendly Service! Open 7 Days a Week
H
307 West 1st, Suite 1 • 933-BFIT 925-1600
810 E. UNIVERSITY WAY Locally Owned & Operated • Comfortable,
(Across from CWU) Quiet, Home-Like Atmosphere
jazzercise.com

2 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 43
 Local waterski maker outfits world’s best
By CHANCE EDMAN
staff writer
C
reed Kidder likes to keep
a low profile with his
business.
No reason in particular,
although his product isn’t
exactly in high demand
around Kittitas County.
That’s because professional
water skiing isn’t necessarily
the hot ticket in this area.
Kidder’s company, D3
Custom Waterskis, is a high-
end competition water ski
manufacturer known world-
wide by the who’s who in
water skiing.
Some of the best water
skiers in the world ride
Kidder’s skis. His company
sponsors several pro skiers
like Marcus Brown and Freddy
Krueger. Krueger broke two
world records in the same
year recently and was named
2004 World Cup Champion in
men’s jumping. Brown rides
Kidder’s slalom ski “Nomad,”
which is a custom-made ski
ranging in size from 62 to 69
inches long.
“It gets more attention out
there,” Kidder said of when
his skiers win. “He gets on the
podium and takes a picture
with his skis right there.”
D3 employees can produce
eight to 10 skis a day. It’s
an exact process as each
ski is made to fit precise
measurements.
Kidder also makes jump and
trick skis in his Ellensburg
warehouse. Few are sold
locally, but Kidder is never
opposed to making a spur-of-
the-moment sale.
Most, however are distrib-
uted across the U.S. and even
to international vendors in
44 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
D3 Custom Waterskis
Founded: 2002
Location: Ellensburg
Employees: 7
Products: professional level
waterskis
Area of distribution: worldwide
places like Germany. Kidder
estimated a third of sales
come from retail, a third from
U.S. customers and a third
internationally.
Word of mouth helps spread
the word about his products,
but by now, most upper level
waterskiers know of D3.
Kidder’s dad, Denny Kidder,
has been in the waterski
business for more than 40
years and still works part
time, primarily on research
and development of new
technologies.
Kidder’s ski “Nomad” has
changed five times over
the last three years, minor
changes the average water
skier wouldn’t notice.
“If we can improve on what
we already have, we will
(make changes),” Kidder said.
Skis cost $1,025 apiece.
Bindings are $150 apiece, $300
for a pair.
The company recently came
out with a new boot design,
which is made overseas and
assembled in Ellensburg. Creed Kidder, president of D3 Custom Waterskis, checks one of his presses in
Scott Oltman, one of a few his shop in west Ellensburg.
local customers, says D3’s
products are leaders in the incredible,” Oltman said. going, except for the special-
industry. Despite making world-class ized products like resin and
“They’re keeping right up waterskis, Kidder can find carbon graphite.
with the technology. Their everything he needs in Ellens- Kidder starts with a piece
new boot design is pretty burg to keep his business of durable foam made from
 & mor e
i z z a
g p r yo u!
in t f o
r Jus
a te
hw From Easton, Elk Heights and Lake Cle Elum to Peoh Point...

ut We’ll Deliver our Savory Pizzas.

o Dine In & Take Out too.

882126.ALM.08.cnr
M 2 1 2 E a s t F i r s t S t r e e t • C l e E l u m , WA • 5 0 9 - 6 7 4 - 5 4 4 4

Steward & Williams Cascade

T r i b u T e & C r e m aT i o n C e n T e r Funeral Home

Along with full burial services, if cremation is your choice we own and operate the
only on-site crematory in Kittitas County.
You can rest knowing your loved one NEVER leaves our care.
301 East Third Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926 201 North Harris Street, Cle Elum, WA 98922
509-925-3141 • www.steward-williams.com 509-674-4445 • www.cascadefuneralhome.com
886910.ALM.08.cnr

2008 Kittitas County Directory

Ellensburg m’s ,SYV+]Q

*GCNKPI6QWEJ
CWiiW][
E l u
CleMemberships
Pediatrics • 3 Months
• 6 Months
• 1 Year
4VSZMHMRK5YEPMX]-R,SQI'EVI
509-933-1982
Register @ Cle Elum Chiropractic
120 East 1st • Cle Elum, WA
24 7LIV]P0IEZMXX014
;XL 1-888-410-9162
HOU
674-5696 ACCESRS )PPIRWFYVK;% 700 E. Mtn View Ste #503
113 Harris Avenue • Cle Elum, WA 0MG   www.hcow.net

0QTVJYGUV#WFKQNQI[ VALLEY
Complete health care for infants, NATURAL HEALTH
children & adolescents (Formerly Hear USA) *GCTKPI#KF Dr. Julie A. Grebb, ND, LMP
“State of the art Hearing Aids
at Old Fashioned Prices.”
 %GPVGT Licensed Naturopathic Physician
Elise J. Herman, MD 6TWUV1PN[CP#WFKQNQIKUVHQT
& Massage Practitioner

Janet A. Penny, MD TOLL FREE: Dr. Rich Anderson, DC

5170&#&8+%'
Victoria A. Perkis, ARNP (800) 254-4667 Licensed Chiropractic Physician
611 S. Chestnut, Suite E ††
Now Accepting Ellensburg 8MQ1SVI,SYWI
7IVZMGIMW;LEX7IXW9W%TEVX
(509) 962-8488 0/CKP5WKVG
509.925.1525 507 North Pine, Suite E
www.ndaccess.com/vnhealth
NEW Patients 509-962-KIDS (5437) 207 W. Tacoma Ave., Ellensburg, WA 98926
'NNGPUDWTI9# Most Insurance Accepted

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 Local waterski maker outfits world’s best
polyurethane shaped like the appropriate
ski that feels like styrofoam. It’s very light
and can endure a beating when covered
with carbon, which is the next step.
Once sheeted in the black, cloth-
looking material, a sticky, sap-like
substance called resin is scraped over the
surface. The resin must soak through the
carbon to the core of the ski.
A lightweight graphic is then placed
over the ski before it’s taken to a press
where it is cooked at 160 degrees for 20
minutes. The excess graphic is cut and
filed off the edges. Kidder then measures
the ski to make sure it fits specifications.
Any ski not up to par is sold for a
discounted price, so employees are
D3 Custom Waterskis are made to fit specific
dimensions of their riders. Here a stack of
Nomads wait to be shipped out.
5IF
%FTFSU
$MBJN
8JOE
1PXFS
QSPKFDU

XJMM
IBSOFTT
,JUUJUBT
$PVOUZµT
MFHFOEBSZ

XJOET
UP
HFOFSBUF
OFX
FDPOPNJD

PQQPSUVOJUJFT

5IF
QSPKFDU
XJMM
HFOFSBUF

UBY
SFWFOVFT
GPS
&MMFOTCVSH
TDIPPMT
BOE

DSFBUF
KPCT
JO
UIF
DPVOUZ


$MFBO
&OFSHZ
GPS
B
4USPOHFS
&DPOPNZ
Ellensburg’s Choice
For Retail Shopping!
hopatvalleym
s
all
.
www
XXXEFTFSUDMBJNXJOEDPN
2529 Main Street • Union Gap, WA 98903
 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
careful to achieve near perfection every
time. Final touches include a polish and
drilling holes for bindings.
Jump skis used for lauching off ramps
on the water are 84 to 92 inches long. Trick
skis are shorter and wider at 40 to 45 inches
long. Each ski length is custom made to fit
the height and weight of its rider.
D3 makes more than 2,000 skis a year.
Kidder set up shop in Ellensburg about
six years ago. His dad owned Kidder Skis
in Auburn before the business moved to
Ellensburg and Creed took over.
As the weather warms, business is
starting to crank back up for the year.
Winter months starting in September or
October are typically slow for Kidder and
his staff, but orders pour in through the
summer.
Sometimes Kidder will manufacture
similar items for outside companies.
He has done skateboards, wakeboards
and now makes guitar parts for a private
company.
in our over
85
.net
specialty
stores!
Our
OurBusiness
Business isisBusiness
Business
Whether it’s helping with a first business plan or working
with multi-million dollar corporations, we’re the economic
development experts. We’re nonprofit, experienced and
most of our services are free of cost.
• Business plans and advice
“State of the art Hearing Aids
• Information on loans and grants
• Low-cost leases for startup manufacturers
at Old Fashioned Prices.”
• Relocation information for businesses interested in Kittitas County
• Demographic, economic and other data

The Economic Development Group of

TOLL FREE: (800) 254-4667
Kittitas County, serving Kittitas County

The Ellensburg Business Development

Authority, concentrating on Ellensburg.
Service is What
Sets Us Apart!
(509) 962-8488
207 W. Tacoma Ave.
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Tim MoreHouse
221 E. 4th Avenue • Ellensburg, 98926 • 509-962-7244
edgkc@kittitasedc.org • www.kittitasedc.org
889774.ALM.08.cnr

America’s First Name For

Quality Timothy Hay & Feed Products
Your one and only everyday buffet in town.

Headquartered in Ellensburg, Washington, the Ward Rugh, Inc. corporate offices

and operations provide full customer service, including buyer tours, administration,
506 S. Main St. Suite 1 accounting services, shipping, inspections, documentation and transportation.
Ellensburg, WA 98926

925-1606 886975 KRH SS P.O. Box 68 Ellensburg, WA 98926 • (509) 925-2827

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 HOW WIND WORKS FOR
ALL OF US
By enhancing local economies, providing stable
electricity pricing for consumers, diversifying the
energy supply, and protecting the environment,
wind power benefits all of us.

Economic Development
Landowners receive annual payments for leasing their land to
us. Neighboring communities also benefit from significant tax
revenues or other payments to support government services
such as schools, hospitals, roads, and fire protection.

Job creation is another important advantage, and several studies

have established that wind energy provides more jobs per dollar
invested or per kilowatt-hour generated than most conventional
energy resources.

Energy Security
Wind energy diversifies our nation’s electricity generation portfolio,
protecting against volatile price spikes and risks from relying too
Photo courtesy of Puget Sound Energy

heavily on just a few sources of generation.

Clean Power
By supplying power from a clean, renewable resource, wind
energy helps reduce pollution, keeping our environment healthy
for future generations.

48 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Pautzke Bait: Proven performance
Third generation some 15-pound fish, a pretty good size
for a trout, but he wasn’t satisfied. “We
Pautzke Bait Co.

running bait business were going after 25-pounders,” he says.

Kelley still has the competitive spirit of
the professional athlete that he was and
By DON GRONNING it shows. It wasn’t that long ago he was
staff writer playing professional baseball for the Los
Founded: 1934
Location: 800 Prospect St., Ellensburg
Employees: Three full time, 30 when cooking
Products: Premium eggs, cures, scents and attrac-

C
asey Kelley recently returned from
a business trip to Wisconsin. But
in Kelley’s business, work and play
can be the same thing.
“We were back there doing some fishing
for brown trout,” says Kelley, who is
president of Pautzke Bait Company, one of
Ellensburg’s most well-known firms and
maker of the famed “Balls O’ Fire,” a trout
bait made from salmon eggs.
On the Wisconsin outing Kelley caught
Angeles Angels organization. He played
three years for them before injuries
forced him from the game.
Kelley is still competitive but now the
outlet is the family business. He came
aboard as head of sales, marketing and
advertising for Pautzke Bait Company
in 2001, then took over as president and
CEO in 2004.
Pautzke Bait was started by Kelley’s
grandfather, the late Otto Keith Williams,
who died at home in Ellensburg at the
tants for trout, salmon and steelhead fishing.
Area of distribution: North America and Mexico
age of 88 last year.
The Pautzke Bait company was named
for Williams’ uncle, Ernie Pautzke, who
started the company. Pautzke died in
1938 and Williams bought the recipe for
cooking salmon eggs from his aunt for

b
bach drilling
Our Mission
To be the Provider, Partner
& Employer of Choice
DaVita
dialysis
provides
services
for those diagnosed
since
d 1894

with chronic kidney failure,

a condition also known as
chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Locally owned and operated
We have over 1,300 outpatient
dialysis facilities and acute
units in over 800 hospitals.
We are located in 42 states
and the District of Columbia, Drill OperatOrs
serving approximately 103,000
patients.
Mike Bach | 899-7770
use it ma
Beca
Lic# 22
tte
All this makes us the largest
independent provider of dialysis

rs. services in the United States.

Though we’re proud of this
Jeremy Bach | 899-7777
standing, we have set our sights Lic# 2536
on a higher goal. We want to be
the greatest dialysis company
the world has ever seen. And
we’re accomplishing
through a shared commitment
this
Your Satisfaction is
to our mission and values.
Guaranteed.
www.DaVita.com
Tel: 509-925-2333
Fax: 509-925-2334
1-800-244-0680
Dollarway Road • Suite 350
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 Pautzke Bait: Proven performance
$50 when he returned from
the war in 1946.
The first year was difficult.
Williams cooked and bottled
more than 200 jars of eggs but
didn’t sell any. The next year
was a little better but it wasn’t
until Williams’ wife, Marnie,
suggested dying the eggs red
that sales took off.
“After three or four years
of business, I bought her a
Cadillac,” Williams told a
Daily Record reporter in a
2004 interview.
Williams semi-retired
from the company in 1988,
although he still was a
presence around the business,
jokingly telling people he was
the janitor. The Williams’ adult
children, Gerry, Chris and
Paula managed the company
before turning the company
over to Casey in 2004. Contributed photos
A 22,000-square foot, state- Gerry Williams fills some jars with Pautzke salmon eggs, a process known as paddling the eggs.
of-the-art facility was built
in 1991. It is there that the said Kelley. In the late 1980s a Pautzke during the egg cooking
salmon eggs are turned into new form of dough bait came and would come to class with
Pautzke bait through a natural on the market. the red-dyed hands.
cooking process with secret “The dough bait took a bite Lee Davis is a fisherman
ingredients and all. out of our business,” said Kelley. who started using Pautzke
“There is a magic number, a But the company has battled bait about three years ago.
few ingredients we add,” says back, making new products “Somebody had suggested
Kelley. The process is done in to go along with its Balls O’ it,” says Davis, who fishes
the fall. Fire eggs. In all there are 35 year round. Fish are attracted
“Last year it took six days,” Pautzke products, including a to the color red, says Davis,
says Kelley. A crew of about line of Liquid Krill that anglers so trying the salmon eggs
30 processed 80,000-100,000 have had success using in seemed like a good idea.
pounds of salmon eggs, both fresh and salt water. “Sometimes I fish them This is what the finished product looks
turning out 3,000 36-jar cases Like all Pautzke products, it alone and sometimes I use like. Pautzke’s Green Label Balls O’ Fire
daily. The eggs are mainly is an all-natural product, with them with something else,” have been used for trout fishing since
king and chum salmon eggs no artificial ingredients. It is he says. Either way, he usually ‘Dad’ Pautzke started cooking the
and the majority come from made from krill shrimp and fishes the eggs about two feet salmon eggs for use as trout bait.
the Great Lakes region. also comes in a gel form. from the bottom.
Pautzke products amount But Balls O’ Fire bait still The price of gas has Kelley Kelley says being able to
to about 90 percent of the work well. No tackle box a little concerned about the react to the market is one
bait eggs market, says Kelley, is complete without a jar upcoming fishing season. He of the things Pautzke Bait
with the popular Green Label of Pautzke eggs in it, says worries that some anglers may Company simply has to do.
Balls O’ Fire amounting to 75 outdoor columnist and stay home this season rather “You kind of have to roll
percent of Pautzke sales. Central Washington Univer- than pay the high gas prices. with the market,” he says. One
“They’re our bread and sity professor Jim Huckabay. But Kelley also sees an thing he is not worried about
butter,” says Kelley. “Everybody uses Pautzke opportunity. One of Pautzke’s is the quality of his product,
Since Kelley has been at bait,” says Huckabay. “It’s a competitors cut out the which is made in Kittitas
the helm, the company has rule.” distributers, selling directly to County.
branched out into other Huckabay says he started large stores. “As long as there is fishing,
products, such as scents, using the salmon eggs as a “That opens up opportuni- Pautzke Bait will continue to
cures and corn bait. youngster. He has taught classes ties for us,” he says. “Distribu- provide premium products
“We’ve diversified some,” where students who worked at tors want something to sell.” and service,” he said.

50 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 Cle Ellum
Easton
Ellensburg
Kittatas
Ronald
Roslyn
Snoqualmie Pass
Vanatage

-RXIVIWXIHMR
0ERH#
8LIRGSQIWIIQIJSVXLI
HMVXMR/MXXMXEW'SYRX]
VKPCM"IOCKNEQO [SVOMRKJSV]SY
8SPP*VII 800.793.9001
(MVIGX 509.925.8724
)QEMP cindywilber@elltel.net
Jon Newton 1HHGTKPIVJGUCOGGPVJWUKCUVKE
RTQHGUUKQPCNUWRRQTVHQTCNN[QWTGCN
[[[GMRH][MPFIVGSQ
(206) 550-0822 • jonnewton@windermere.com GUVCVGVTCPUCEVKQPUPQYYKVJCPCVKQPCNN[
www.jonnewton.mywindermere.com TGURGEVGF4GUVCVG%QORCP[
100 West Third Avenue
807 W. First Street,
Cle Elum, WA 98922
YYYJQOGUKPENGGNWOEQO Ellensburg, WA
1-509-925-8700
Windermere Real Estate/Cle Elum 1-800-635-1883 '(KTUV5VTGGV%NG'NWO9#†

www. .com

REALTOR ®

Community Realty
Sinden Harum
(509) 856-5367 ;QWT4GCN'UVCVG2TQHGUUKQPCN Marlene Pfeifer
harum5@elltel.net
 REALTOR ®®
VTCE[NCTUGP"EJCTVGTPGV 700 E. Mtn. View, Suite 504
YYYGNNGPUDWTIJQOGUHQTUCNGEQO Ellensburg, WA 98926
Office: (509) 933-7300
0&QNCTYC[5VG Direct: (509) 933-7310
Office: (509) 962-4004 'NNGPUDWTI9#
Office Fax: (509) 962-5182
Cellular: (509) 899-0702
1H¾EG

EQUAL HOUSING
 Fax: (509) 933-7320
Email: sindenh@johnlscott.com
OPPORTUNITY

Address: Ellensburg Office: 1310 S Ruby St, Ellensburg, WA marlene@elltel.net

INVEST STRONGEST
INVEST STRONGEST
K I T T I T A S V A L L E Y
home IN THE
IN THE
shopping,
REALESTATE
ESTATEMARKET
MARKET
real REAL
made easy!

COUNTRY!
estate
IN THE

COUNTRY!
Contact your Kittitas County Real Estate
Professional for more information on the
LOCAL Real Estate Market.
Home appreciation in Washington
continues to out-perform the rest of the
nation with year-to-year price increases every
quarter since the spring of 1995. Interest
rates are low and housing inventory is at a
good balance for buyers and sellers alike.
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 Custom saddles stand test of time
Building saddles just one of the
activities of versatile leather shop
By DON GRONNING
staff writer
Y
ou have to drive a little
ways out of Ellensburg
to get to Don Bacon’s
Leather Shop. It’s about 10
miles out of town, in the horse
country near Naneum Road,
north of the Vantage Highway.
“It makes it handy being out
here for people to bring their
horse out to fit a saddle,” said
Andy Bacon, 32, the eldest
son. The spacious driveway
allows plenty of room for a
horse trailer.
There are a variety of things
to buy at the leather shop,
which offers retail clothing
as well as repairs and custom
leather work. A steady
stream of customers came
by the weekday this reporter
stopped by.
“How much does he want
for that?” asks one man
pointing to a used saddle in
the shop on consignment.
“$700,” said Andy. “Tell him
I’ll give him $500,” said the
man.
Don Bacon, 70, is the
founder of the leather shop.
He came to Kittitas County
from Arizona in 1968. He says
he got his start working with
leather as a youngster. He
had polio when he was young
and spent quite a bit of time
indoors.
“I started doing this in ’48,”
says Don. “This is what I
would do when the other kids
were out playing.”
He started by hand tooling
leather wallets and belts.
“The more I did, the more
52 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Don Bacon’s
Leather Shop L.L.C.
Founded: 1968 in Ellensburg
Location: 1492 Thomas Road
Employees: four
Products: Custom saddles, horse
tack, holsters, leather goods
Area of distribution: Primarily
in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and
Montana, although the company
does distribute many other places
and internationally.
people wanted,” he says. “It’s
all I’ve done for 60 years.”
He is self taught, learning
by repairing and doing. He
perfected a method of carving
photographic likenesses on
pieces of leather, developing
special tools and dyes to
complete his pictures of
animals in their natural
surroundings.
Carving on leathers is
different from just drawing on
paper, he says.
“You can’t just erase it
when you make a mistake,”
he laughs. A picture of a deer The foundation for a Western saddle is called a tree. Here Frank Bacon shows
standing in the grass that he one of the trees that a Bacon saddle will be built upon.
carved for his mother in 1959
shows the detail in the grass sold for $275. Such a saddle $750,” says Don.
that required a special stamp now would fetch $5,000 These days Don is mostly
to get it just right. — $6,000, he says. retired, leaving the leather
The decorative carving lead Bacon saddles hold their work to his sons Andy and
to more utilitarian work, such value. He tells of a story of a Frank.
as saddle and tack repair. saddle he built in 1973. The brothers grew up
“I probably repaired saddles “It sold for $375,” he says. around the saddle shop,
for 20 years before I made The customer rode the saddle sweeping and cleaning and
one,” he said. “You can learn a until health problems forced eventually working their way
lot from repairing them.” him to stop riding. “He rode up to repairing and then
His first saddle, fully tooled it for 18 years and sold it for building saddles.
 Custom saddles stand test of time
“Andy made a knife case when he was
about 8,” says Don proudly.
“I grew up around it. I’ve done it my
whole life,” says Andy.
“We started by cleaning up and doing
small repairs and it went from there,”
said Frank, 30.
They didn’t go to a saddle making
school, says their mother, Gabe. They still
put in an apprenticeship with Don that
was probably worth 10 schools and Gabe
recognized it.
“After they had graduated high school,
I printed some diplomas,” she said. She
figured nearly 20 years apprenticeship
should be acknowledged.
The younger Bacons handle most of

Andy Bacon shown with a pair of custom

chaps that he made. Holsters, chaps, saddles
and other leather goods are some of the
items made and repaired at Don Bacon’s
Leather Shop.

Propane • Gas • Diesel

Bulk Oil & Lube • Heating Oil BLUE RIDGE INSURANCE
Commercial Fueling Kardlock

SALES • INSTALLATION • SERVICE AUTO • COMMERCIAL • HOME

We install gas piping from the tank Cars • Trucks Homeowners Business
to all your gas equipment Recreation Vehicles Renters • Flood Liability • Property
Greg Ogan - Owner
Off Road Vehicles Mobile Homes Commercial Vehicles
Bio-Diesel Now A-1 Petroleum is a division of Wenatchee
Petroleum Company which was founded in SR-22 Landlords Bonds
available at our
1243 W. University 1924. Since 1946, Wenatchee Petroleum
Way location! was headed by Red Ogan. In the 1960’s, Friendly, Reliable Customer Service
his son Mike Ogan joined the company, and
lead it through expansions which included
the purchase of Zbinden Oil in 1986, Har-
Call For a Free Quote

925-6108
mon Oil in 1988, and the formation of A-1
Petroleum. Today a new generation is run-
ning the company. Greg Ogan has been
managing A-1 Petroleum since 1986.
1-800-727-3986 FAX: (509) 962-9460
A Division of Wenatchee
Petroleum Company Email: blueridgeinsurance@fairpoint.net
Ellensburg - 711 S. Main, 925-1366 209 W. Tacoma • Ellensburg
Cle Elum - 674-2015
email: gas@a1petro.com • www.a1pp.com
Lic#Wenatpc054db An Independant Agency
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 53

the work of the business now, although
both Don and Gabe are regulars around
the shop, visiting with customers and
making themselves useful.
There are quite a few custom Bacon
saddles built in the shop. The base price
for a handmade Bacon saddle is $2,700.
The price rises with the amount of
tooling and silver that is added.
“They’re truly custom saddles,” says
Frank. Customers bring their horse out to
have the saddle fitted to the specific horse.
While the custom saddles are the
prestige product, most of the shop’s work
is with smaller projects.
“Most of the business is building new
stuff such as breast collars and reins,” he
says, with a fair amount of repair work.
The business has gotten by for years
by word of mouth. They don’t even have
a catalog, let alone a Web site, although
that may change soon.
“We’ve been thinking about getting a
Web site,” said Frank. While they sell most
To Ellensburg
Cit y of Kittitas
by way of Kittias Hwy.
PCWP
North
wEsT
souTH
To I-90 Access
 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Custom saddles stand test of time
of their goods in Kittitas County, they also
send saddles and tack around the North-
west, as well as farther away to places
like Alaska and Canada. “We even sold a
couple saddles to a person in Georgia,”
says Don. A Web site seems like an inevi-
table progression for the business.
Don says the business seems to go in
cycles. Now they are in a cycle where
people like more ornate gear.
“People like fancier stuff now,” says
Don. “If my dad saw some of the stuff we
make now, he’d have a fit.”
The leather shop has provided a living
for the Bacon clan for quite some time
now, with quality work one of their
hallmarks. Their custom saddles are
truly some of the best products made in
Kittitas County.
Andy Bacon splits a piece of leather in
preparation into turning it into a set of reins.
Blossom Barn
For that warm & fuzzy feeling stop in & say “HI.”
113 N. Main Street · Kittitas · 509-968-4440
Full Service Flower Shop | Teleflora Wire Service
Daily Delivery Service to Ellensburg, Kittitas, Thorp & Surrounding Areas
Cindy DeWoody, Owner/Designer
Bringing 27 years of design experience for your review
PCWP Pat Cort’s
Word Processing & Computer Training
“ Tr a i n i n g w i t h a p e r s o n a l t o u c h ”
• Resume Services • Brochure, newsletter & flyer design • Professional job search portfolio
100 North Main Street · Kittitas · In the Big Yellow Building
P: 509.968.9622 • Toll Free: 1.866.904.8926 • Fax: 1.888.570.4805
EAsT www.patcortswordprocessing.com · pcwp@elltel.net
Gerry’s Foreign
Auto parts We also carry parts for many
domestic cars & trucks.
Specializing in parts for mid to
late model foreign cars & trucks. Family Owned
& Operated
300 South Main • Kittitas • 968-4466 since 1971.
 'PS
'JOF
.FYJDBO
$VJTJOF

$PNF
CZ
&M
$BQPSBM
PS
-PT
$BCPT

+PJO
VT
GPS
MVODI

EJOOFS

%BJMZ
4QFDJBMT


&M
$BQPSBM
UI

.BJO

&MMFOTCVSH



8
TU
4U

$MF
&MVN





"DSPTT
GSPN
'BSN

)PNF


'".*-:
.&9*$"/
3&45"63"/5
/PSUI
#FOE
…
&MMFOTCVSH
…
$MF
&MVN
…
2VJODZ
…
'JGF
…
.BQMF
7BMMFZ
North Bend - 424 S. Main (206) 888-2048 - Happy Hour in our Cantina (North Bend Only) 3-7pm Daily
Maple Valley Valley - 26915 Maple Valley Black Diamond Rd. SE (206) 432-8488
Fife - 4420 Pacific Hwy. E. (206) 929-3372 • Also locations in Othello and Fall City
890612.ALM.08.cnr

7FHFUBSJBO
*UFNT
%FMJDJPVT
"QQFUJ[FST
"XFTPNF
.BSHBSJUB

4FMFDUJPO
$PDLUBJMT

$BOZPO
3E
&MMFOTCVSH
#BORVFU
3PPN
GPS

#FIJOE
.D%POBMET
-BSHF
1BSUJFT
4FOJPST

$IJMESFO

 .FOVT
-PT
$BCPT
JT
QBSU
PG
UIF
&M
$BQPSBM
'BNJMZ
890613.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 Discover Downtown
come visit our Call us today for your Pine Street
MuseuM and Gift shop prescription needs. Mall
5IF
DOWNTOWN
.64&6.
0'
"35 HEalTH MarT Ellensburg’s
PHarMaCY Best Kept Secret
416 North Pearl | Ellensburg | 509.962.6416 414 N. Pearl, Ellensburg 413 N. Pine Street · Downtown Ellensburg
free admission 925-1514 509-962-4104

Pregnant? HERBERT
Support SNOWDEN
INSURANCE

Downtown.
Since 1923

You have options. Auto • Business • Home • Farms

1-800-395-HElP

Shop Local.
Free. Caring. Confidential
In our 85th year serving Kittitas valley, still family owned & operated.

In Ellensburg call 925-2273 or

visit us at 111 East 4th

Gordon Swan, Owner/Agent Kim Lewis, Manager/Agent Amanda Graham, Agent

www.optionline.org
925-6174 • 426 North Pine

EllEnsburg H Paper Moon

H and Stars In downtown
Pet Center H
All the
Pets You Love
& Everything They Need Scrapbooking • Handmade Cards • Paper Crafts Ellensburg,
• freshwater fish • small animals
• reptiles • birds • dogs • cats
With our large assortment of materials and
supplies you can achieve any scrapbooking,
since 1909.
• boutique items for your pampered card-making or paper craft project.
pet • health and wellness products •
training aids and much more!

Hours: Monday - Saturday 9:30 - 5:30
Sundays 12:00 - 4:00
First Fridays open until 7:00
412 North Pearl St. 509.925.1435
Historic Downtown Ellensburg
113 East 4th Avenue • Downtown Ellenburg
509.962.1988 since 1909
www.papermoonandstars.com | dar@papermoonandstars.com
Monday - Friday • 12:30 - 6:00 PM | Saturday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM 401 North Main | Ellensburg | 509-925-1414
887291.ALM.08.cnr

 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Great wine from great grapes
Cave B Winery
makes wine from
ground to bottle
By CHANCE EDMAN
staff writer

G
EORGE — Cave B Estate
Winery transformed
more than 100 acres of
land along the Columbia River
east of Ellensburg into one of
the area’s premier wineries.
Founder Dr. Vincent Bryan
purchased 500 acres of land in
1980 with the intent to plant a
large vineyard, not necessarily
a winery. The land matches
the conditions of some of the
world’s best grape growing
regions in Europe with its
proximity to a large river and
its steady supply of plenty of
sunshine year-round.
So beginning in the 1980s, A guest samples a wine from the Cave B tasting room Feb. 28. Cave B makes 17 varietals of wine.
Bryan set out to build Champs
de Brionne Winery on 60
acres of vineyards. The winery Cave B Estate Winery
turned into Cave B in 2000 and
now uses grapes from more
than 100 acres of vineyards. Founded: 2000
Cave B opened a tasting Employees: Year-round: 2,
facility in 2002 and soon had to Seasonal: 10+
expand into a basalt building Product: 17 varietals of wine
called The Roundhouse due to
a growing number of visitors. Location: George
Wine tasting costs $5. Area of distribution: statewide
An adjacent room called
The Cellar was carved out of
the hillside. A cool room with including the Cuvee du Soleil.
elegant lighting, Cave B holds Another well-known wine is
barrel tastings in The Cellar the 2006 Blanc de Blanc, one
where visitors can sample of the state’s few methode
wines straight from the barrel champenoise sparkling wines.
as directed by staff members. Because it grows and picks
Cave B grows 16 different its grapes by hand, Cave B’s
varieties of grapes on its staff chooses only the best
property which it turns into fruit for its wines.
17 different varietals of wine. “The best fruit gives us
Cave B’s most famous blends the best wine,” Winemaker Here in the cave, winemaker Freddy Arredondo talks about the fermenting
are its Bordeaux blends, Freddy Arredondo said. “You process and the specific kind of oak barrels used to hold the red wines.

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 57

 1852

104 E. 4th 925-4191 2008 KITTITAS COUNTY

1908 1909 1911 1911 1923

Ellensburg
Chamber of
Commerce www.kvnews.com FOSSEEN’S www.kelleher-ford.com Herbert Snowden
HOME & HEARTH 800-247-8828 Insurance
704 N.
609 N. Main 925-2002 410 N. Main 925-1414 Wenas St. 933-3002 602 N. Pearl 925-1911 426 N. Pine St. 925-6174

1945 1945 1946 1946 1946

Grebb, Johnson, Reed
& Wachsmith, L.L.P.
Certified Public Accountants FURNITURE & APPLIANCE, INC.
920 E. 1st
1071 Hwy. 97 933-7050 Cle Elum 674-2430 209 E. 5th 925-9876 1791 Vantage
Hwy. 962-9811 512 N. Pearl
Street 925-1475

1972 1974 1974 1976 1980

Cle elum
MCNUTT BROTHERS Ken’s Auto mediCal Center
Formerly
Custom Electronics Wash Cle Elum Family
Medicine Center
Just Remodeled & Expanded

206 W. Tacoma 925-3007 600 N. Main 925-3176 1013 E. University Way

& 201 S. Main 962-8500 1504 Hwy. 97
(W. Interchange) 925-4662 201 Alpha Way
Cle Elum 674-5331

1986 1987 1987 1988 1988

Northwest
Painting
724 E.
University Way 962-COPY 412 N. Pearl 925-1435 962-2837 500 W. 3rd Ave. 925-5397 1800 Canyon
Road 962-6222

1997 1998 1998 1999 1999

www.innatgoosecreek.com
800-533-0822 Mineral Springs Resort
27510 Hwy. 97
1720 Canyon
Road 962-8030 101 W. 5th 925-1477 205 W.
Tacoma Ave. 962-9282 1619 Vantage
Hwy. 933-1142 Cle Elum 857-2361
8 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
 1887

502 E. 1st
Cle Elum 674-2530

1928 1930 1934 1944 1944

Steward & Williams
Tribute & Cremation Center Petroleum Brad
& Propane Burke
Residential • Commercial • Farm Heating &
Air Conditioning & Repair Air Conditioning
www.universityautocenter.com
604 W.
301 E. 3rd 925-3141 962-7151 711 S. Main 925-1366 University Way 962-9871 310 N. Pearl 925-2961

1947 1963 1969 1970 1972

AFFORDABLE
Campus-U GRANT’S FUNERAL
Tote-em PIZZA CARE
William’s Campus U-Tote-Em Bonnie Marsh
the last 18 years! Proud to serve Kittitas County
810 E. 716 E.
University Way 925-1600 205 N. Main 925-4151 University Way 925-9855 101 E. 2nd 925-2902 615 S. Main
925-6181

1982 1982 1982 1982 1984

Catlin
Electric
CATLIE1978BU
641 W.
University Way 925-5680 414 N. Pearl 925-1514 209 W.
Tacoma Ave. 925-6108 301 N. Pearl St. 962-9327 830 Watson Rd. 925-4460

1989 1994 1995 1995 1996

Pregnancy Center of Kittitas County

Free Testing • Caring • Confidential

Ellensburg 962-5667 101 S. Main 962-6644 111 E. 4th 925-2273 108 S. Main 962-4663 901 Berry Rd. 933-1500

2000 2002 2002 2005 2006

www.MIKESWATERSYSTEMS.com
Jerry Lael Farmers Ins.
208 S. Main 105 E. 2301 W. Dolarway
962-9287 Kittitas 968-4189 Umptanum 925-7632 425 N. Pearl St. 933-2013 Suite 5 962-8800
Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 
 Great wine from great grapes
can’t make great wine from
mediocre fruit.”
Grapes begin to grow in the
spring and are harvested in
the fall months. Arredondo
and Cellarmaster Hector
Saldano Osuna are the only
year-round employees of
the wine-making operation.
Come time to pick grapes,
Arredondo hires an additional
three or four employees.
Each vine makes about
eight to 10 pounds of grapes.
Some vines have been in the
ground for more than 30 years.
Arredondo can tell a differ-
ence between grapes from an
experienced vine as opposed
to a young vine. Younger vines
tend to produce tart grapes that
vary in taste. Older vines have
exacted their grapemaking, as
Arredondo puts it, and become
more consistent as the age.
Cave B produces about 5,000
cases of wine a year. It takes
about a ton of fruit to make 120
gallons of wine, or 50 cases.
The grapes Cave B doesn’t Vineyards surround SageCliffe’s Cliffehouses, which are luxurious accommodations rented by visitors with one of the
select for its own wine, it sells. best views around.
SageCliffe is an eco-friendly
resort where the skins and
seeds left over from pressed
grapes used to make white
wines are used by restaurant
chef Fernando Divina to make
a variety of items.
Estate wineries, those that
grow their own grapes on
site, are rare in Washington,
according to Arredondo. Most
wineries purchase their fruit
from other vineyards, many
of which are located in Walla
Walla and elsewhere.
Arredondo loves the ability
to control his winemaking
from the ground to the bottle.
He can keep a close eye on his
grapes every day and know
what to expect when it comes
time to turn them into wine.
“It’s an absolute convenience,
I love it,” Arredondo said.
The sugar percentage,
acidity and pH levels of grapes Cave B makes 17 varietals of wine. These bottles are stored in homemade racks, The entrance to Cave B Winery is
are vital to producing good ready to be opened for wine tastings. easy to miss on the way to The Gorge
fruit and thus good wine. Amphitheatre off Interstate 90.

60 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

 Great wine from great grapes
But in the end, the physical taste of a
grape can overrule negative readings
Arredondo might get from a grape. The
entire process to grow a grape takes
about three months.
Once Arredondo and his staff bottle the
wines, they usually sell it to distributors on
the West Side and locally as well. Cave B
purposely avoids distributing to big chain
markets because it would prefer to remain
in boutique shops and restaurants.
Arredondo is excited about some
new wines coming soon. Cave B will
be offering varietals of a Stainless Steel
Chardonnay in the near future along with
a Cabernet Franc.
Production should remain the same in
the foreseeable future, Arredondo says,
but he isn’t opposed to expanding as
demand dictates.

SageCliffe’s pool is expected to be open this

summer. The pool is built into the hillside with all
indigenous rock and boasts an incredible view.

Pleasing to the Appetite

& of course the Eye
For a meal that will hit the spot come to the
Bar 14 Ranch House Restaurant and enjoy a We offer Purecoat Low-Odor, NO-VOC
Interior Acrylic, Masterpiece Lifetime Silk
tasty home cooked meal.
Interior Acrylic Latex, and over 40 other
- stEaks interior, exterior, industrial and
specialty products that
- salads meet the MPI Green
Performance Standard™!
- sOuPs
- HambuRgER
- bREakfast
- muCH mORE

www.columbiapaint.com

Exit 109 Off 1-90 | 1800 CanyOn Rd | EllEnsbuRg | 962-6222

OPEn 6:00 am - 7 days a WEEk Ellensburg

t

/
$IFTUOVU
t

887219.ALM.08.cnr

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 

 CZbW[ObS3gSQO`S
[ORSW\YWbbWbOaQ]c\bg
s4REATMENTOF#ATARACTS'LAUCOMA%YE)NFECTIONS

,TO2
s)-$%XAMS,OCAL3URGERIES
$R!BEL7,I-$

$R7ILLIAM2-EYER/$
s,ARGEST3ELECTIONOF%YEWEARIN#ENTRAL7A.
,EO/LTMAN,$/

$R3COTT/LTMAN/$ 1/B16B63D7A7=<

$R"OB$AVIS/$&!!/

NEW LOCATION 2201 W. Dolaryway Rd. Suite 2

925-1000 925-9611
887271.ALM.08.cnr

Craig Ronning
Senior
Mortgage Banker
509-607-9777
craig@lfgloan.com
HIGH TRUST Lic. #510-LO46371
• GREAT
RESULTS
nally Known • Locally G
N a t io rown!
2008 Kittitas County
Shannon Basterrechea
Professional Bookkeeper
• Payroll
o e
+0)22
• Quarterlies
Phone: 933.4040
Cell: 509.201.0489 • Personal &
Business Bank
&%2(=
=
Fax: 933.4440
Reconciliations
blbookkeeping@fairpoint.net
• Quickbook Setup ome
for Year End Ready
busines o
Phone: 509-925-1700 415 N Pine St
After Hours: 962-8084 Ellensburg, WA 98926
sines
Fax: 509-925-1707
Bottom Line Bookkeeping Email: a026366@allstate.com

62 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008

Small brewery keeps up with big demands
By JEFF WILSON
staff writer

For Greg Parker, brewing

beer once meant hanging out
with his friends, imbibing
and tracking mud in and out
of his garage. But the days
of brewing 155 gallons of
kit beers have turned into
overseeing a business that
now sometimes struggles to
meet its demands.
And that is just fine with him.
“February should be our
worst month and it’s going
to be a record month for
us,” Parker, who owns and
operates Iron Horse Brewery,
said. “I’m blown away. There
is such a thing as too much of
a good thing and it’s kind of
scary where this could go.”
While there have been a
number of microbreweries
popping up all over the
state, and the Northwest
region for that matter, Sam Scotchmer measures out a portion of hops pellets as he begins the brewing process.
over the last decade or so,
only one has chosen to call
Ellensburg home. has been running the brewery on pace to turn out 750-800 Iron Horse Brewery
Iron Horse Brewery, started himself ever since. And the barrels but Parker is thinking
in 2004 by Jim Quilter, has brewery has seen some it will end up closer to 1,000
been working hard to estab- considerable change. once the year comes to an Founded: 2004
lish itself amidst that boom. In January, Iron Horse saw end.  Location: 1000 Prospect Street,
But keeping its roots in the significant growth compared Part of that is due to the Ste. 4, Ellensburg
Kittitas Valley, and catering to to March of 2007. Toward the microbrew boom that has Number of employees: 5
the taste buds of the locals has end of February of this year, been going on in the area for
not changed. sales were about 30 percent the last 10 years — that and Products: Six year-round beers,
And Parker says that will above the previous month. the fact that Parker spends Rodeo Extra Pale Ale, Loco-Motive
never change. “We’ve doubled over the last half of his week out selling his Imperial Red Ale, Cream Ale,
“I grew up in a small nine months and another 30 product, and has the help of Brown Ale, India Pale Ale and
business family so I wanted to percent since last month,” two other full-time employees Quilter’s Irish Death. Seasonal
get a small business going,” he Parker said. “And we have to push the product. beers are also available on a
says. “It was highly beneficial some big customers in the “That’s what is different limited basis.
that the guy who had started works. And it looks like that is about us,” Parker said. “We Area of distribution: Iron Horse
this had 25 years of brewing going to push it even higher.” have a sales force and that’s beers are available throughout
experience. He showed me The brewery produced 500 what is driving it. We’d still be Central Washington and Northern
some of the tricks.” barrels of beer in 2007, which in here doing last year’s sales Idaho in bottle form in markets and
After buying into the translates into 15,500 gallons numbers if it wasn’t for that.”
existing business and sharing of the tasty stuff. Based on Parker and his team are
stores or on tap in select watering
a four-month partnership, the numbers from the first actively walking into bars holes, or at the brewery itself.
Parker bought out Quilter and months of 2008, Iron Horse is each and every week selling

Kittitas County Almanac 2008 - 63


their beer. And it’s been
working.
As of now, Iron Horse
beers are available in Seattle,
Tacoma, Olympia, Wenatchee,
Leavenworth, Yakima, the Tri
Cities, Spokane and, of course,
Kittitas Valley. The brewery
does spill over into Northern
Idaho but for now, the
emphasis is on Washington.
However that might change.
At one point, Iron Horse
was getting most of its brews
into bars in kegs. But that is
also changing as Parker says
the number of bottles of beer
ending up on supermarket
and grocery stores shelves is
coming close to equaling the
amount of beer sent out in
kegs to bars and restaurants.
“Ironically, if people stop
drinking yellow beer, all the
breweries in this state would
be brewing 10-times what they
are brewing now,” Parker said.
“But the big boys (Budweiser,
Miller, Coors) take a pretty big
chunk out of our sales.”
That could change this
spring and summer as
brewers are forced to deal
with an impending hops
shortage that has some
experts predicting much
higher prices for microbrews.
But that doesn’t seem to
Scotchmer rakes out the spent grains left over from the mash.
64 - Kittitas County Almanac 2008
Small brewery keeps up with big demands
put a dent into what Parker
has been building since
buying Iron Horse just about
a year ago.
Located off of Dolarway
Road on the west side
of Ellensburg, Parker is
expanding the brewery as fast
as possible. And the produc-
tion rate is not the only thing
that has grown.
Iron Horse is in the process
of remodeling its brewery,
specifically adding a tasting
room at the current location.
There are plans to expand to
downtown Ellensburg with a
full-blown brewpub, complete
with restaurant and gift shop.
And the number and kinds
of brews will change as
well. While Parker will keep
the current six beers in the
rotation, he said he plans on
adding some new brews into
the mix over the next couple
of years.
“This is the real-deal as far as
micros go,” Parker said. “I try
to stress that when I’m out and
about. This is as real as it gets.
And we’re not going to change
that. And we’re not going to go
anywhere either. Ellensburg is
our home and we will continue
to brew our beers here as long After transferring a mixture into the fermentation tanks, Iron Horse’s Sam
as people around here choose Scotchmer monitors the fermentation process.
to drink them.”
Scotchmer hoses out a lauter tun while brewing a batch of beer.
 #F
B
QBSU
PG

UIF
DJSDMF
5JNPUIZ

1BSL
POF
PG
&MMFOTCVSHµT

#FTU SFTJEFOUJBM
SFOUBM

DPNNVOJUJFT
0GGFSJOH

UIF
GPMMPXJOH
DPNGPSUT
UP
IFMQ
FOIBODF
ZPVS
MJGFTUZMF
…

CFESPPNT


GVMM
CBUIT …
(BT
GJSFQMBDF
…
(BSBHF

$BSQPSUT …
#SJHIU

MBSHF
FOFSHZ
FGGJDJFOU
XJOEPXT
…
'VMMZ
NBJOUBJOFE
MBOETDBQJOH …
$BUIFESBM
DFJMJOHT
JO
MJWJOH
SPPN
…
'VMM
TJ[F
8BTIFS

%SZFS …
&OUFSUBJONFOU
DFOUFS
…
0QFO
LJUDIFO
XJUI
NJDSPXBWF
PWFO …
$"54
XJSJOH
JOTUBMMFE
GPS
CSPBECBOE

…
4QBDJPVT
XBMLJO
DMPTFUT
DPOOFDUJPO
JO
FBDI
SPPN
…
1SJWBUF
QBUJP
XJUI
TUPSBHF
VOJUT …
4FQBSBUF
MJWJOH

EJOJOH
SPPN

5P
NBLF
5JNPUIZ
1BSL
ZPVS
OFYU
IPNF

DBMM
VT
BU


7JTJU
PVS
XFCTJUF
BU

XXXUJNPUIZQBSLOFU
883828.ALM.08.cnr